Winter has the propensity to bring burn-out for homeschoolers but it doesn't have to be that way. Today I'll talk about ways to avoid burn-out and how to enjoy the coziness of winter. Show Notes Sunlight before noon post Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich Homeschool Rhythms: Rest Time Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli Connect with Me On Instagram Join my Substack   Don't forget to rate & review :)  

Bring on the sweaters and boots and pumpkin spice lattes! Autumn is in full swing by now with falling leaves, crisp mornings, and night creeping in earlier and earlier.  I like to take time to reflect as fall begins in earnest; what changes do we need to make in routines and atmosphere to get ready for a new season? Which traditions are we looking forward to the most and are there any we want to let go of? And how can I bottle everything that makes fall the loveliest time of the year? The...

I know some of you might have the urge to check out right now thinking your children have aged out of this time of day but I assure you, it is for all ages…including you, mama. Rest time is a beautiful hour of the day when you can take a few deep breaths, make a fresh cup of coffee, and reset for your afternoon.

For decades homeschoolers have been plagued by the question, “what about socialization” from well-meaning (and let’s be honest, sometimes not so well-meaning…) neighbors, family, and friends. The question chafes at us because it assumes that the minute we begin homeschooling, we hole up in our homes and avoid all contact with any other humans. That’s just not the case though.

So far in this “Homeschool Rhythms” series we’ve talked about morning time, narration, getting ready, group work, and individual work. We’ve moved our way through morning activities and today we’re going to talk about reading aloud!

When you ask a seasoned homeschooler about structuring the day, you will often hear the same refrain: “combine as many subjects as you can.” Group work is the easiest way to make that happen. But what about those other subjects? The ones that children really need a certain set of skills to master?

What if I told you there was a skill that would help prepare your child for any job he might pursue in the future? And what if this skill was so attainable, that you wouldn’t have to purchase a fancy curriculum or join an elite co-op to access it?

When you ask a seasoned homeschooler about structuring the day, you will often hear the same refrain: "combine as many subjects as you can." Some examples of subjects that combine nicely are bible, memory work, history, and geography. And those are the very subjects we're going to talk about teaching today.

I have no doubt that when my children are grown people, making their way in the world, they will hear the faint refrain of my voice when they roll out of bed and get ready for their day: “Attitude-dressed-bed” And again after they have breakfast:  “Teeth-face-hair-deodorant-zone” These have been the anthems of our mornings for years and my goal has been to create habits for them to help them (and myself) get the day off to a right start.

Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart. It requires endurance and initiative. It requires sacrifice and diligence. But it also requires something you might not realize…a sense of humor. We homeschool moms can be so serious; the stakes are high! We’re going against the grain! What if we mess up…this is our kids we’re talking about, after all?! But…we were never meant to completely reinvent the wheel, and one of the best things we can do for our homeschool is to take ourselves just a tad...

If there is a quintessential practice in Charlotte Mason’s approach to education, it is the act of narration. You can pick and choose which living books you want to read, you can use watercolors or not in your nature journaling, and you can dictate your own routine in a way that best fits your family, but you simply cannot reap the full benefits of Charlotte Mason’s approach without narration. Join me today as I talk about the benefits of narration.

“Morning time” is a phrase coined by the great Cindy Rollins. Pam Barnhill calls it “Morning Basket” and has an entire website dedicated to the practice. In episode 46 of this podcast, Melissa McMahan referred to it as their “together time.” Others call it “symposium” or “daily basket” removing the time constraint of the morning. Whatever you call it, the idea is to gather together and learn together.

If given the option, would you choose for your child to have dyslexia? Dyslexia is widely thought of as a challenge that gets in the way of learning but what if we’ve got it wrong? What if dyslexia is a gift? What if dyslexia helps your child to think in a way that many people cannot, therefore, providing an angle of creativity that this world really needs? What if dyslexia is actually….a strength?

Traditions are the stitches that hold a family culture together. They are woven throughout our year, throughout generations, creating a masterpiece over time. They can be simple and they can change. New ones can be added and old ones fall away. Traditions of the Christmas season are unique to each of our families.

Over the years, "autism" has gone from being virtually unheard of to a buzz word to, nowadays, a word a part of the common vernacular. Most people have at least heard of autism or have a personal connection to the disorder. Many people tend to think of a younger child, perhaps preschool - elementary age when they think about a person with autism. But teenagers and adults experience the joys and challenges of autism, too, along with their families.

Childhood is a unique growing time for our children; educators, parents, and experts have known this for years and yet childhood often gets swept under the rug at the expense of rigorous academics and a schedule full of structured activities. Children are, for the first time in history, busy. And if we're really honest, I think us mamas can admit...it's just too much. What would happen if we embraced a more "wild and free" approach to childhood in our homeschools?

Join us today as Amber and I explore the benefits of weaving heritage into our homeschool studies.