Life as a 19th century African-American sharecropper in the South is tough. Food is scarce, money is scarcer, and each day is a struggle. One day, however, the boy's father comes home with a large ham. And life seems to be a little bit better. Until the sheriff and his deputies show up and haul … Continue reading Book Review: Sounder by William H. Armstrong (Tween Fiction)
When Scarlett's brother Cliff asks for a rocket to Jupiter for his birthday, Scarlett comes up with a plan to make it happen. But then her world falls apart, and keeping her promise to Cliff becomes more impossible — and necessary — than ever.
We found our rhythm after Christmas break. Finally. Our few months of relaxed homeschooling was needed and restful, but in January, we were ready to dive into the deep end again. The thing I love most about homeschooling is that it's flexible enough that we can shape it to fit our needs. And sometimes, needs … Continue reading A Homeschooling Update
I sit by the shoreline, my hair teased by the same breeze that skitters across the surface of the lake. Far off, a large ship sails seemingly at the edge of the world. Just two days ago, the wind chill hovered at the freezing mark. Today, the girls roll up their pants to wade in … Continue reading Peace in Chaos
Anyone who says that homeschoolers aren't socialized has not met my children. Or most of the homeschooled children that I know. Even during a pandemic when gathering sizes are limited and social distancing rules are in place, there are plenty of opportunities to interact (safely) with others. Last week: music lessons, hikes with friends, outdoor … Continue reading An (Almost) Unschooling Update
A friend suggested that I keep a record of our year of relaxed homeschooling, either online or on paper. I've chosen to do both. Let me begin by saying that we started school today with a discussion on hopefulness, the character trait of the week in A Year in the Hundred Acre Wood. Hopefulness. It's … Continue reading Knotty Wood, Ukulele Lessons and Hopefulness
Confession: I'm not a good unschooler. I had intended for this year (or at very least the first few months) to be a break. Aside from Morning Time (A Year in the Hundred Acre Woods), math and reading, our learning was supposed to be entirely delight-directed. We were going to dive into the world of … Continue reading A New Year of Homeschooling
From wrapping each other up in toilet paper when learning about mummies to building the Great Wall of China out of blocks, we've always had so much fun studying ancient times. I've mentioned in previous posts that we do a four-year history rotation (ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern). We've done two cycles of ancient history … Continue reading Ancient World History: Living Books and Resources
What do you do when things don't turn out the way you wished they would? When people you love are suffering. When you're holding your breath for a miracle, but the miracle doesn't come. What do you do with that? The Bible says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Rom. 12:12). … Continue reading When Things Don’t Go As Planned
Embracing wonder. If I were to choose a phrase or theme for this year, this would be it. The wonder of learning. The wonder of living. The wonder of simply being together. In all the heaviness and nitty grittiness of life these days, there is loveliness to be found. Even if it's sometimes hard to … Continue reading Embracing Wonder
