Every homeschooling family will make mistakes and have regrets along the way. Here are some of ours, and the changes we made. #1 Doing it all yourself. After many years of homeschooling primarily on my own, it was a humbling experience to admit I couldn't do everything myself. When I tried to, the results were sub-par. Ouch. Please get help if you need it! This comes in all sorts of forms: Hire a tutor for one or more subjects. Ask if another homeschooling family can help out. For Continue Reading
A Review of LIFEPAC’s Kindergarten Math Curriculum
Erik is five and enters Kindergarten this year, so choosing a homeschool math program was on my to do list. Alpha Omega Publications gave us the chance to try their LIFEPAC Kindergarten Math Kit in exchange for a review, so that relieved me of having to shop around! LIFEPAC's full-color, worktext curriculum is based on the principle of mastery learning, in which students truly grasp the context and skills of one unit before progressing to the next. LIFEPAC's math curriculum uses repetition, Continue Reading
6 Money-Saving Tips for Homeschoolers
Thanks to The Toddle for sponsoring this post! One of the nicest things about homeschooling is its flexibility. Parents get to choose what - and how much - to buy. But that same flexibility can lead to unnecessary expenses if you're not careful. Here are some ways to help minimize your spending without sacrificing the quality of your child's education. Love Your Local Library The library can be a huge help for homeschooling parents on a budget. Get a library card and use it to supplement Continue Reading
What Are the Most Homeschool-Friendly States?
After moving from Mississippi to Kansas, and not being required to do much more in terms of homeschooling compliance, I was surprised to learn that some US states make you jump through a lot of hoops. Each state is given the power to regulate as it sees fit, and this means there's a really wide variance. For example: Alaska is one of the freest states, requiring only that children start school at the minimum age of 7. Beyond that, no notice is needed from parents; nor must they Continue Reading