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Our Family Tradition: Epiphany Geocaching

Since I didn’t grow up in a liturgical church setting I had little exposure to the Western church calendar and all the celebrations that surround it. As my own little family has learned about Advent, Lent and Holy Week we have tried to observe them in ways that make them meaningful in our context. Our annual traditions grow...

If I Was Starting Over Again

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I had the chance to talk with a friend across the country who is pulling her son out of school and beginning their homeschooling journey today. She had so many questions — questions I was asking my veteran homeschooling friends 8 or 9 years ago. It made me think about what I would do differently if I were beginning...

My Interactive Toolbox for Kids that Need to Move

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I have three boys. ALL of them need to move. So, for as long as I’ve been teaching I’ve had to continually come up with creative manipulatives, games that get them moving and something-other-than-a-workpage techniques to help them practice academic skills. I recently pulled out a bag full of well-used homemade interactive...

How NOT to Talk to a Teacher

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There’s something about meeting a classroom teacher that makes me both nervous and excited. As an educator I love “talking shop,” but I also know that there are some presuppositions in both our minds that could get in the way of a beneficial conversation. I want to learn from them without revealing that there are days...

Co-op Community Building

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I have been a part of four different co-ops in three different states. Each time, I went looking for a community of fellow homeschoolers who could offer support and encouragement. I wanted to find friends for my kids to grow up with. I wanted to introduce my kids to other adults who could speak into their lives with influence,...

Intentional Summer: A Lesson Plan for YOU

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I have always held that summer is a great time for learning and while we stop our academics my kids continue in their social, physical and delight-directed learning. But what about me? I have found that I become a bit of a taxi driver in the summer taking them from camp to playdate to lesson. At the end of the summer I look at...

My Method to Tame the Madness

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“Mom can I just do [fill in the blank] and then take a break?” “Do I have to do ALL of this now?” Do you hear these words every day like I did? I wanted my kids to know what the daily expectations were, but I still wanted them to have a say in how and when they met them. As a result, I found that I often dealt with a...

Starting Down the Path with Your Preschooler: Dispelling the Myths you Believe

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I have had the opportunity to meet many parents who are considering teaching their preschooler at home. While this seems like a precious and exciting decision, many struggle with it not because they aren’t capable of taking on this task, but because of all the voices around them that say, “Children can only learn in a...

Stopping Midstream

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The lessons of life typically apply across the board. For instance, I learned this lesson in my creative writing classes in college: When you’re writing, don’t take a break at the end of a thought. Stop in the middle. Stop when you get your groove and you have a clue about where you’re headed. Then when you...

Wait! Before you Stop the Car and Get Out… 10 Burnout Busters that Can Help!

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My husband and I have been involved in church ministry for the full 14 years of our married life. We have planned and prepared many different kinds of programs, hosted innumerable (and delightful!) dinner guests, taught countless small groups, staffed youth programs, trained leaders, presented workshops, sermons and even...