The Art of the Pivot

The new year brings time for reflection on the year that has passed and time for regrouping for the year ahead. We take down our Christmas trees and bring out our homeschool materials. Trees are replaced with trigonometry, cookies are replaced with counting, and the work resumes.  After reflecting on the previous semester, sometimes we
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Destination Order and Peace

We all want to get there – that place of ordered peace that provides such joy to a mother’s heart. You know the ingredients: cheerful obedience, productive days, and kindness to one another with a marked absence of bickering and complaining. How do we get there? It seems that the more we try, the more
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Can You Teach (and Learn) Spanish, Mama?

Hey Mama, When they’re still small, it’s hard to believe our littles will ever get big—but my, how time flies! Before we know it, they’re in high school looking at electives and prepping for college—and we think, “What am I doing? I don’t know anything about teaching (or for that matter learning) a foreign language!”
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New Year, Fresh Start

How is your homeschool year going? Are you on a roll, or have you fallen into a slump? Maybe you need a fresh start. A revival. Reviving your homeschool might be just what the doctor ordered. This does not mean your homeschool has completely died with you hovering over a six-foot grave, propped up by
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Learning by the Day, Week, and Month

One school year, our studies were based on the calendar. We studied the typical commemorative days, such as Columbus Day or President’s Day. Plus, we ferreted out those interesting “National Day of _____” celebrations. It’s possible to use such commemorative days each day of the month and for each subject. Let’s just look at the
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Are You Making History Exciting, Mama?

Hey Mama, My family loves road trips. And a great road trip can often lead to a history lesson in disguise (shhh . . . don’t tell the kids). LOL! There are many ways to make history come alive for everyone in your family, from your preschoolers to your tweens and teens, in addition to
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Conquering Post-Holiday Homeschool Burnout

(What to do when you’re worn out before you even start) It’s a new semester! We did it!! We made it through an entire semester of homeschooling! We finished up while hosting Thanksgiving, shopping for Christmas gifts, and attending a hundred recitals, plays, parties, and productions. Then we rolled into the holidays with road trips
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How to Start Again After the Holidays, Mama

What is wrong with me? I am definitely not ready to even think about school yet. In fact, I am feeling a little down. My biggest problem is my focus is on me! How I feel. What I need. How I fail. This is the real reason for my blues. I need a change of perspective.
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