kids

I help prepare parents to homeschool high school all the time. I tell them to "read books, attend conferences, watch instructional videos and invest in yourself and your chosen profession." Parents also want to know the other side of the equation. How do you prepare your child for high school? Prepare Your Child for High School I have great news. The way you prepare your child for high school is the same way you prepare them for success...

When children are young, we shield them from much of our "rated R" world.  But something happens that changes that.....  Your children grow up.  That's when we realize that we need to shelter young children, but discuss with teens. When your children enter their teen years, it's time to begin having "the talk" about social issues, morality, and integrity.  Allow them to see more of the world, and explain to them what you see in the...

Fun resources for kids who are interested in becoming engineers. High School Classes at MIT College Level Classes at MIT (My son Kevin said "I would recommend this for bright homeschoolers") Stanford Engineering Everywhere Tryengineering.org Tryengineering.org is a resource for students, their parents, their teachers and their school counselors. This is a portal about engineering and engineering careers Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Intel has an international pre-college science competition for students in grades 9–12....

What happens when REAL homeschoolers grow up?  You know, the kids who have to actually WORK to learn?  I'll tell you what happens - they succeed! This is a letter I recently received from a friend willing to share the ups and downs of her journey - and their ultimate success! I just have to share what happened today. My oldest child, Rhett age 16 and in the 11th grade, won the National Guard Outstanding Achievement...

My husband found this ethical dilemma online at http://ethicsscoreboard.com/   and I thought it would be an excellent tool for homeschoolers (especially those with kids in little league) to engage their kids in a real life ethical discussion.  After you read the story and before you read the discussion, please add a comment with your vote and a brief explanation.  Then read the analysis and let me know if you change your mind.  This is really...

Nancy is a real homeschool parent, and she wrote me such a compelling, heart-warming story that I just had to share!     Dear Lee, I had not intended to homeschool high school (or homeschool at all!). I hadn't thought about high school last year (7th grade!) until my daughter was approached by a soccer coach last winter...she received a verbal offer to attend a private high school, 1 year early for 9th grade with a...

As parents homeschooling high school, our goal is NOT to teach something. Our goal is for our kids to LEARN. I could have taught my kids “at grade level” and they would have not learned a thing. Instead, I gave them curriculum at their ability level, and then they had to learn something that they didn’t already know. I have been telling people for 3 + years that I don't teach my kids, I just give...

It is sometimes difficult to encourage men to help with household chores.  As the only woman in my home, I knew we needed to work together.  Of course they would need cleaning skills for adulthood.  More importantly, though, they were the ones making the mess! It was simply a matter of Justice. That's me herding my three men! Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones has some great ideas.  For...

Children learn all the time, even when we aren't looking - and even over summer!  You might want to "pre-test" your children in some subject areas before you start school next year.  For example, Spelling Power offers a placement test for their program, and you can check their spelling level at the beginning of each year, to make sure they are learning something new.  In most math books, the first chapter or two is review. You...

We used to go camping a lot.  Car campers, we would take every creature comfort from home, and set up our tent next to the car.  We would take day hikes each day, and cook over an open fire.  To be honest, though, most of the time we all spent reading. When my children were younger, I would prepare unit studies for them to read.  Books on insects or trees, or stories of survival and outdoor...

Never compare, someone always gets hurt. That's our family mantra, and we use it often. When my boys were very young (perhaps 5 and 7) we had an uncomfortable realization about comparisons.  During Christmas when they were young, I always tried to be careful about gifts.  They had to be similar size boxes, so THEY thought they were the same value, but they had to be similar prices so *I* knew they had the same value. ...

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it...