A FUN online community for homeschoolers
You know how you read posts filled with scripture, that lift your spirits and make you feel as tho you must strive for more … This is not one of those posts. You know how you read posts that make you feel as tho you will never measure up, that you don’t have it together [...]
I began this year anew. I spent the summer embarking on a new planning method for our year. One where everything was planned out ahead of time over 36 weeks and placed into file folders. As I read about doing this from others who had pioneered it before me, there was one piece of the [...]
Homeschooling is a tough job! It’s very rewarding and has many benefits, but it’s just not an easy thing to do. I’ve been thinking lately about what makes some families successful at it while others give up or think it’s just “not for them.” While my list is absolutely not comprehensive, here are a few [...]
Christian. Homeschooler. Two words I once believed synonymous with righteousness. Now, I find myself in this exact same position, and I find that label to be daunting. One would think that homeschooling offers us a safe haven to be right with God. I mean . . . how many temptations could you come across, really? [...]
Are you naturally neat? Is your living room company-ready any time the doorbell rings? Do you sleep more soundly when all your dishes are washed before bed? I’ve known people who could easily say yes to each of these questions. I’ve been in their houses. I am not one of them. After I got married [...]
Do you ever have days (or whole weeks, even years) when you wonder if your children will ever truly be friends? With each other? Will the bickering, arguing, fairness issues, offensive nature and general annoyances toward one another ever end? I wonder. All. The. Time. Truth be told, I worry about it more than I’d [...]
Throughout recent years I have had the pleasure of participating in multiple book clubs. Varying greatly from each other in size, style, organization and location. Book clubs can offer so many enriching benefits, not only from the literature discussion, but through the bonds built among participating members. On the flip side of that coin, they [...]
As a mom who has homeschooled for 14 years, I often get questions from new or potential homeschooling moms. Most moms who homeschool their children honestly want to do what’s best for their children. They want to provide their children with the best education they possibly can while providing a safe and happy environment for [...]
Lately I have been feeling a familiar “syndrome” trying to resurface in my life. I like to refer to it as the “Martha Syndrome.” It is something that I see in my life when I allow my time to be consumed by things other than the one thing that is needful. Syndrome, as defined by [...]
In a time of year where it seems like the whole world has caught the “Spring Cleaning” bug, I embraced today as the perfect opportunity to chat with you all about some of the ways we can keep all those books and supplies for our homeschool organized and easily accessible. In my home it seems [...]
We often hear, “Your family is so fun!!!!” or “You guys do such fun stuff!” and my first response usually is, “Yeah, it seems that way from the photos we post on the blog or updates on Facebook. But we are just going along leading our life.” But the more I think about it, the [...]
Last month for Hiphomeschool Moms, I wrote about Honoring the high schooler. The response was so encouraging, and for all the kind words, thank you. There was also a great deal of interest in homeschooling the high schooler in general. Nitty gritty stuff, ins and outs, curriculum and more. I plan on devoting the next [...]
I had a little revelation this week. Well actually it was rather a big revelation, and this is why I am writing about it and bringing it over here to you. And because I think it is so very important, I even made a pin for you . . . I actually printed this little [...]
I hate that. I WOULD never do that. I COULD never do that. In a regular part of my former daily vocabulary I would utter statements such as these. They still sneak their way back in from time to time, but I ‘ve learned better over the years. As a homeschool mom, I regularly hear [...]
Let me just start by saying we are not a traveling family. We have not sold our home and piled into the RV for a year long journey around the country! Although there are many days I think this would be great, the type A in me always wins out, and alas we nestle into [...]
It concerns me that many parents of teens feel like they “need” to send their teens to public or private school for the high school years. Parents sometimes make the choice to send their teens to school because they are worried that their children won’t be able to get into a good college. While that [...]
Do your kids love science? How about you? What about science experiments? Would you love them even more if those experiments helped teach biblical truths? My four boys and I love all things science related, especially science experiments. But let me tell you, I haven’t always been so willing to do them. There was a [...]
I’ve got a bad habit of comparing myself. Do you? It started when I became a mother…. He’s already potty trained? You’re still breastfeeding? You’re having ANOTHER baby? Then, as the years went on and I had more children, I became more confident. The comparisons dwindled. My child will wean or take formula when necessary. [...]
I don’t remember exactly when, but another mom asked me why we had to decided to homeschool. At the end of her question she said, “I bet you hated school.” Except I didn’t. I loved school. More specifically, I loved my education. I was blessed with access to amazing schools. In kindergarten, when I was [...]
There’s a saying I’ve heard all my life: If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. I can remember my mom getting in a funk from time to time when I was a kid . . . sure enough, I felt down and unsettled myself any time she wasn’t happy and content. Lately, I’ve come to [...]
I have two teenagers in my house of seven kids. And talking real straight with you all — I love these teenage years of homeschooling. So often we read about the beginning years and phonics {which I’ve taught for, oh my, almost 11 years straight}, addition, math facts, and more, but forget to look ahead [...]
“It’s just a slice.” In life, this phrase as well as the context in which it is stated, can mean many things. It also produces different outcomes. Allow me to explain. In the home educating world, it is so very easy to lose sight of an outlook that contains the proper perspective. I think in [...]
I’m so glad to have a chance to share a little of what I heard and learned at Blissdom with you! This post will only include a small portion of the information I want to share with you. I’ll share more in later posts, and hopefully the other Hip Homeschool Moms team members who attended will also share some of [...]
*Photo Credit* If you ask me, homeschooling and the military go hand in hand. Or dare I say they are a match made in heaven? I am not just saying this because we are a military homeschooling family {wink, wink}. No, really, I’m not. As most of you know, military families are known for moving [...]
Me: Ah! It’s already 2:30 and there’s so much I have to get done before we leave tonight! I have to finish the laundry, pack our bags, and make that casserole. The floors should be swept, I need to make a shopping list, and we have to stop somewhere and pick up a gift before [...]
We were recently driving in the car talking about what was on the dinner menu for that evening. Our oldest daughter gets so upset with her brother when he calls his carrots, cucumbers, and croutons (all separate and ready to dip), a salad. This spurred a conversation about what “salad” actually is. My first words [...]
So often homeschool moms find themselves entangled in the great debate, the Super Bowl of homeschooling, the 2000 elections of home education. The topic? Their daily routine/schedule/plan/un-schedule. Whatever you want to call it. It is there, and it is in your face. I used to think there were just two camps to this whole debate: [...]
The past couple of weeks have been a little bit crazy at my house! I’m the kind of person who likes to have a plan and likes to stick to that plan if possible. It’s hard for me to be spontaneous, and it’s hard for me to “take it” when I have to change plans [...]
Homeschool moms. Neighbors either think we are SuperMoms or SuperCrazy … it really can go either way. Friends watch us as we plan field trips, plan lessons, plan meals, plan every.waking.moment.of.our.lives. We are really focused on time, on curriculum, on testing, on results. So often we compare ourselves to the other homeschool moms, because we [...]
Google “Skilled Labor Shortage” and you will read article after article about how difficult it is for employers in the mining, manufacturing, farming, construction, oil, gas & utility sectors to fill their skilled positions. My husband works in an industry where this is a stark reality. Most of these positions are high paying, support-your-family-on-one-income jobs [...]
Last month we took a short road trip to see my cousin, her husband, and their newborn twin boys. When I was putting something in her refrigerator I noticed a printout with their “List of Truths.” I asked her about it, and she said her husband thought that with the newborns they needed to make [...]
I sat in the kitchen in disbelief. How many times had I already explained certain concepts? Over and over and over. And still, the problem was answered wrong. Frustration ensued. In me, and in the kids, and very quickly any possible real learning was now lost. I closed the book and declared a break. As [...]
I watched my boys and three of their close-enough-to-be-cousins friends, picking at a bowl full of conversation hearts last week. Shrieks of laughter, along with commentary on the message each piece of candy bore, filled the air for several minutes, as they attempted to piece together things that made sense. I couldn’t help but think [...]
When given the opportunity to review two print issues of The HomeMaker’s Mentor, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as I am unfamiliar with the site and their products. My first impression…it was like sitting down with your best friend’s scrapbook! I felt like I had seen or tasted something great and then was [...]
Family traditions. Every family has them. Whether you have one or one hundred, some sort of “tradition” has seemed to wiggle its way into every family I know. Your traditions may be in the form of homeschooling, celebrating birthdays, going to church, military service, cooking, singing, camping, or a plethora of other things. Regardless of [...]
All kids are different. All it takes is to observe a group of children at the park, a playgroup, etc. to know this. As parents, we know that some children do things differently or learn things differently, and that’s ok. As the mom of a little boy with sensory processing disorder, I have had to [...]
Being not only a stay-at-home parent, but a homeschooling parent as well, I spend LOTS of time with my children. My brood consists of only 3 children and yet I swear I can’t even think one whole complete sentence all day! I know that being a stay-at-home parent is right for me. I remember being [...]
Sometimes people get confused when I tell them I’m a homeschooler. They look at me, look at my kid, and then look at me again. Why the confusion? My only child is 18 months. That’s it. For a long time I just told people we were planning to homeschool. We weren’t there yet, because obviously [...]
A New Year … and it’s a whole long year ahead. A year is made up of single days. We receive them as a gift, just one of them at a time. Delightfully packaged in this world created just for us. The Bible tells us in Matthew, . “Take therefore no thought for the morrow, [...]
Our homeschool is undergoing the same mid-year evaluation and refocus that many of you are experiencing. My family moved twice this year within a four month time span and we got settled in our new place just in time for the holidays. November – January is my absolute favorite time of the year but I’d be [...]
As a homeschool family you will find things that can be a struggle. You may have a small budget for curriculum; in that case you can buy used and borrow from others. The library and free resources on the Internet can become your best homeschool friends. You may have trouble getting into a routine and [...]
I love the freedom that can be found in this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. During this week I’ll take an afternoon and examine how the first half of our homeschool year has gone. I’ll take notes of things I’d like to change, new things I think we need, and will plan and [...]
Like most families I’m sure, we have so many wonderful traditions during the Holiday’s, it can be difficult to say which one is our favorite. Okay, that’s not true at all! By far, baking Christmas Cookies is my favorite (and by all the constant request, I feel safe in saying it’s my families favorite as [...]
Let’s face it…. homeschooling moms are a different breed. (Also, work-at-home moms, and stay-at-home moms!) We don’t need the same kinds of things many other women do, and we don’t ask for the same kinds of things for our kids. Our lifestyles make for a lot of unusual needs and wants, don’t they? If your [...]
Women need support. We appreciate kind words, good shoes, well-fitting bras, and ice cream when we need to work something out on our own. We will spend hours analyzing the most minute thing ever with a friend just because we need someone to tell us a decision we made was okay. Homeschooling is no different. [...]
In August I was featured here at Hip Homeschool Moms with a post called Got Phys Ed? Summer Edition. As the weather here in the East gets colder and colder, we are starting to prepare for not only the outdoor cold weather activities, but the indoor activities that can still keep us moving during our [...]
My now husband and I first met in American Gothic – a requirement for all English majors. We had a number of mutual friends, but other than a few quick hellos or knowing nods we hadn’t spoken. Ever. We started dating sometime the next semester. It started innocently enough – a very casual dinner date, [...]
According to Andy Williams, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” According to anxious inquiries by mothers; home educating ones in particular, it is just one more situation to possibly be stressed about! Comments range from “My children are ungrateful and quarrel more at this time of the year than any other”, to “I [...]
In the years we’ve been homeschooling I’ve come to cherish the times I spend reading aloud with my children. The opportunity to share my love of books and stories and written words while (hopefully) instilling an appreciation of these things in their lives is a priceless gift in my eyes. The logistics, however, of how to [...]
When I think about families that homeschooled 20 – 25 years ago without access to the Internet and all the vast resources we now use, I could make myself break into a cold sweat! The flip side of that is the sheer amount of information out there can cause another variety of emotions and questions. [...]
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