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  • Sidewalk Chalk Ideas for Homeschool Learning

    Sidewalk Chalk Ideas for Homeschool Learning

    If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to liven up your school day, grab a bucket of sidewalk chalk and head outside. While it’s easy enough to let kids go wild and create whatever they want, consider adding some structure and hands-on education to your outdoor chalk time.

    Below you’ll find activities focusing on a variety of subjects —math, science, language arts— that have one element in common; they can all be done outside with sidewalk chalk. These activities are adaptable, so feel free to use these directions as a springboard for your own fun! Modify the ideas below depending on your child’s age and ability.

    Engage Your Kids with These Chalk Activities and Games

    1. Chalk Sundial

    In an area of full sun, draw a large circle with chalk. Mark off the center of the circle. Early in the day, at the top of the hour, have someone stand on the center mark. Then, have someone else draw the shadow that is created. At the shadow’s edge, write down the time. Throughout the day, repeat the process. You’ll see the shadow moving across the circle.

    Questions to ask:

    • How does the sundial work to tell time?
    • How accurate is a sundial?

    2. Math Path

    Draw a large hopscotch board; feel free to extend it by adding extra boxes. Place a different number inside each box. Give your child a specific math function to solve in order to move into each box. For example let’s say you have the number 63 in the first box. Say, “Use division to get to 63.”

    Make it harder:

    • Instead of having them solve one math equation, make them answer many to move into a box. Using the above example, ask them to use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to get to 63.
    • As they move along the boxes, have kids determine whether a number is a prime number or not.

    3. Spelling Circles

    Draw many circles across a large area of your driveway. Write one letter into each circle. Give your child a word to spell and have them move among the circles, spelling it out.

    Variations:

    • Instead of having kids move from letter to letter, give them a specific movement. For example, “For this word, skip through the letters.”
    • Let your student create words from the letters in the circles. If you want to make it more challenging, have them stick to different word lengths each round, for example six letter words.

    Additional Outdoor Chalk Projects

    Build a Story

    Write a list of random words using chalk, and have your child jump from word to word, making up a creative story as they move along. You can also do this with two people by letting them take turns choosing words but contributing to the same story.

    History Timeline

    Choose a period a historical figure from your history lessons and create a timeline. Include both dates and pictures. Stick figures are welcome!

    Recreate a Masterpiece

    Have your child choose a piece of art they love and then let them make it with chalk. Discuss the pros and cons of using chalk as an art medium.

    Solar System

    Kids won’t be able to draw a life sized solar system, but they can chalk one using proper ratios. Have your student do some math and measure out each planet to make an impressive solar system.

    Whatever you decide to do, the main thing is to have fun while you’re learning! There are all kinds of chalk available, including neon colors, glow in the dark, and glitter. Hunt around for special chalks to make this outdoor learning activity extra special.

  • Five Ways to Have a Successful Family Reading Time

    Five Ways to Have a Successful Family Reading Time

    Although having a family reading time is important to my family, I realize that with the numerous other obligations a homeschool mama has, reading aloud as a family might not seems doable. Our family reading time is one of our favorite times of the day, but it didn’t always look like it does now. Here are five easy tips to help you and your family have an awesome daily reading time together:

    1. Be choosy about the time of day.  

    Your family reading time will be affected by the ages of your children and your daily activities. It may also change over time, depending on how your schedule shifts through the year. Choose a time of day that is more relaxed. If your evenings are always very hectic, that probably isn’t a good time for you.  

    We used to read in the mornings before school until the baby became a toddler. Our family reading time suffered while our mobile little sweetie was getting into everything under the sun. To say she was distracting is an understatement. We ultimately moved our reading time to evenings after the baby was in bed and after the older kids were showered and ready for bed themselves. Changing our family reading time to evening made it a great transition into bedtime.

    2. Choose books that interest your children.

    If your children can’t stand fanciful stories, don’t read them. Find an author that they love, and read his or her books. My kids love Roald Dahl! On the flipside, challenge your kids to try new literature styles, too. But make sure that they are having fun. Family reading time should not be torture.

    3. Read an array of books together.

    Sometimes I chose books that correlate with the season or an upcoming holiday. Sometimes my selections go with what we are studying in science or history.  Other times they don’t match our homeschool lessons at all.

    The point is that I select a wide variety of books, authors, and subjects.  Changing it up keeps family reading time from getting dry and boring.  Let your children suggest books they want to read.  Other times choose for them.

    4. Keep little hands busy.

    I have been reading to my kids for a long time, ever since they were very small. I’ve even read chapter books to my three-year-olds, but to expect them to sit still and not wiggle is unrealistic. Have a special activity that your little ones can do while you read. Make sure this activity is mostly mindless like these examples:

    • squeezing silly putty
    • stacking and unstacking blocks
    • matching socks

    This kind of physical action will keep them mostly stationary and quiet while you read. They may still be moving while they do their activity, but they are listening!

    5. Be consistent.

    When I’ve tried to read only one chapter every week or so, I almost never finish the novel. Being consistent in your reading time is key to being successful. With too much space between reading sessions, your kids (and you) will forget what is going on in the story. Shoot for at least reading four times per week.  It will start to become part of your daily routine, and your kids will miss it when you don’t read.

    Happy reading to your family!

    About the Author

    Alicia Hutchinson is the homeschooling mom to four.  She and her children love reading and history and exploring outside.  They are just settling into their new home in the Minneapolis area, where they just relocated from North Carolina.  

    You can read more about Alicia and their homeschooling adventures, current projects, and thoughts on motherhood at her blog Investing Love.

  • How I Found a Homeschool Schedule That Works

    How I Found a Homeschool Schedule That Works

    We have just started our fifth year of homeschooling with BookShark and have changed our schedule through the years to fit various stages of our life. I’ve learned to make my curriculum flex for me and my kids while also trusting it to lay a solid academic foundation. I know that BookShark doesn’t need extra dressing up beyond a healthy layer of real-life exploration. But how I arrange the lessons is up to me!

    The BookShark Instructor’s Guides offer an easy-to-understand four-day schedule that shows me precisely what to cover in each subject each day—what to read, what to talk about, what words to learn, what timeline figures to place in the Timeline Book, what locations to mark on the Markable Map, what Science activities to do, etc. It’s a relief to have a base to work from! I don’t have to spend energy planning lessons.

    Sticking to My Instructor’s Guide… or Not

    Sticking to the schedule benefits my kids since the subjects are so often intertwined. I find we get an an even richer learning experience when we work through the Instructor’s Guide as planned. For example, currently our Science, History, and Readers are all set in a relatively close time period, allowing us to dive deep into the mind-set of early American days. Keeping with the same time period means that the bulk of our lessons all relate back and forth with each other.

    While staying with the schedule is my preferred method, we have frequently found ourselves in a groove and excited to continue a History lesson to the point we may get several days ahead. Most days we want to work on all subjects, and other days we may power through an entire week of Science in one sitting. We can do that! I let the curriculum flex for me!

    We choose to homeschool because it offered our family the greatest flexibility in our school schedule. Even when our schedule may look different from one week to the next, BookShark has worked well with our changes.

    Homeschooling with a Four-day Schedule

    BookShark’s four-day schedule gives our family the opportunity to enjoy an extra family day or a learning day without books. We enjoy museums and will frequently use our extra day off as a field trip day to learn more with hands-on activities at a children’s science museum or an early American homestead.

    We have also used our extra day off to do more in-depth studying of things that interest us at the time. Robotics, foreign language, and crafts frequently fill our fifth day.

    The four-day schedule is a great choice for families who want to enjoy a three-day weekend or who elect one day a week for field trips, extra-curricular activities, or homeschool co-op.

    Using the Fifth Day for Rabbit Holes

    We generally plan for a four-day week, but homeschooling has allowed us the opportunity to jump down the many rabbit holes that come about with learning. We can take our four-day schedule and spread it over five days. This means we may start out talking about an early American family’s water well and then start learning about the water table and finally study the water cycle. We might begin a lesson on the ocean and end up spending an hour with our map discussing geography. I don’t plan these rabbit hole days, but I always welcome them and love that we can adjust our schedule and not stress about getting back on track.

    Stretching a four-day schedule into five days gives us more time to spend on each subject and encourages more in-depth learning on subjects our family is interested in.  

    Keeping a Traditional School Schedule

    Following a local school’s schedule can be important for many families. It is a great way to keep on track with your school year and still get plenty of breaks during the year. When we began our first year homeschooling, we went this route and it worked well for us then. We had plenty of breaks and certainly plenty of days for learning, too.

    Choosing Year-round Schooling

    We currently choose to homeschool year-round. Although we do take a significant number of days off in the summer, I’ve found it works better for our family if we do not take two whole months off school. During the summer, we take more field trips since our local museums, libraries, and parks have great summer programs, packed full of learning opportunities.

    Our family loves to travel, so year-round schooling lets us do school while others are out on break. This means we can take our breaks during the school year in the off-season. Traveling while others are in school means the beaches are less crowded, the airfare is reduced, and the hotels are more affordable. Win-win!

    Year round schooling is a great option to avoid summer boredom while providing room for more breaks throughout the year.

    I found a homeschool schedule that works for me by being flexible and making changes when needed. Being willing to try new routines has helped me find my homeschool groove. Now I’m confident in my choices and know that I can change my schedule each year if I need to!o turn your non-reader into a reader. Some readers bloom later than others! And your investment may pay off in years to come.

    About the Author

    Pamela Gann lives in Alabama with her husband and two kids where they love doing science experiments. They began their homeschool journey back in 2013 and have used BookShark Levels K -4. Pam is a former flight attendant and is married to a pilot, so traveling is not just their passion—it is their livelihood. She blogs about their homeschool and family travel journey at PamGann. Homeschooling for their family takes place on planes, in cars, and most often outside under a shade tree.

  • Help! My Child Doesn’t Like to Read

    Help! My Child Doesn’t Like to Read

    When I started homeschooling many years ago, one of my main goals was to raise readers. As an avid reader myself, I’ve always understood the value of reading. It expands our vocabulary, teaches us, ignites our imagination, challenges us, transports us to amazing worlds, and so much more.

    I knew I wouldn’t be able to teach my girls everything, but if they could read well and enjoyed the process, they would be able to learn anything they wanted to. So I did whatever I could to make reading exciting and accessible. Here are ways to nudge your child toward becoming a lifelong reader.

    Create a Book Loving Home

    First, it’s important that our children know that we, as parents, think books are important. In our home, we have multiple bookshelves that are filled with a variety of books. Our Kindle ereaders get frequent attention. Library trips were (and still are) frequent and positive. We invest in a literature-rich homeschool curriculum.

    My husband and I read regularly, so our kids see us getting caught up in stories and hear us discuss what we’re reading. Remember that our kids tend to value what we value.

    What if you’ve done all you can think of and your child still doesn’t like to read? It’s time to ask yourself some questions.

    • Could your child have a learning disability, like dyslexia, that makes reading hard for him? Sure, we should all challenge ourselves by reading difficult books, but every time we pick up a story, it shouldn’t be a chore.

    We’re lucky that today, more than ever, there’s help available for those who have trouble reading. If this is an issue for your child, I would encourage you to seek assistance instead of deciding that he’s just never going to be a good reader.

    • Is your child a slow reader? Sometimes, especially with longer books, it’s hard to keep motivated when it seems to take forever to finish. Is he slow because he’s having trouble focusing? Is the story or vocabulary too challenging?

    Think about what can be done to break down any barriers for him. Reading isn’t a race, but see if you can help him pick up his pace, so he doesn’t get frustrated or lose interest while reading.

    Does she find the books she is reading boring? Do you let her choose her own books or is she regularly assigned reading material? Maybe she just hasn’t found the right subject to ignite her passion.

    Sure, children have to read books for school, even if they find them boring. Just make sure that you’re encouraging her to read for pleasure as well.

    4 More Tips for Turning a Non-Reader into a Reader

    • Spend part of your day reading aloud together, regardless of your child’s age. Yes, read aloud time is still valuable for teens! There is something very powerful about spending time as a family reading a story. Just be careful to avoid these common read aloud mistakes.
    • If the act of reading is challenging for your child, turn to audio books. By listening to books, instead of reading them, they can still develop the passion for the stories without having to struggle.
    • Introduce your child to a wide variety of books. Encourage her to explore the various genres and topics to find one that excites her. Make up a list and each time you go to the library, have her choose one or two different types. You both might be surprised by what grabs her attention!
    • Make sure your child is reading books that are at the right level for him. Books that are too hard or too easy can turn off a child’s interest. Challenge him to move up his reading material as he grows, but don’t jump so far ahead that every page is difficult for him to understand.

    Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that homeschooling or following any of these tips will raise a reader. However, instead of throwing in the towel claiming, “my child’s just not a reader,” persevere in your efforts to turn your non-reader into a reader. Some readers bloom later than others! And your investment may pay off in years to come.

    About the Author

    Megan Zechman is a veteran homeschool mom of two girls. Over at Education Possible, she shares creative, hands-on learning activities for middle school.

  • Winter Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers

    Winter Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers

    Field trips are great way for homeschooling families to add excitement and some real life learning to their days. Do you get out of the house with your kids?

    It’s easy to take the time to get out during the spring and fall but a bit harder to get motivated during the colder winter months. It’s important, though.

    It can become tedious to stay at home most of the day—for both you and the kids. Field trips give you all a chance to get out of the house, get some fresh air, learn new things, and interact with new people. Here are some ideas for field trips that are educational and fun.

    Zoos, Wildlife Preserves, and State Parks

    Most cities and towns have zoos and wildlife preserves, and you probably live within driving distance of a great State Park. Most of these places have indoor sections—a nature center, an education area, an aquarium, or (like our zoo) an enclosed rainforest habitat.

    These places give kids a chance to experience natural science first-hand. They interact with animals and learn about the ones that live in their area of the world: what they eat, when they sleep, their social habits, and more.

    They’re also wonderful for learning about different plant species that our local animal life depend on for survival and how human actions may be impacting them. It might be helpful to look online to see what these places offer and then write up a list of questions your kids have. Then help them find the answers while they visit.

    Art Galleries

    Even if your kids aren’t particularly interested in art, most children find galleries fun and interesting. Many even have exhibits that feature the work of child artists or have a special hands-on section where children can touch or create art. Take a look around and have your children write down the names of their favorite artists. Afterwards you can research each artist and learn more about their lives and their work.

    History and Science Museums

    I love taking my kids to science centers and history museums. With my age spread (2, 6, 8, 13), those types of places usually hold each of their interests for long periods of time.

    History museums give the kids a look into mysterious times long ago. What child can resist a dinosaur, caveman, or ancient Egyptian exhibit? Not only can they see how people lived in times past, they can see first hand what prehistoric creatures like the wooly mammoth or the saber tooth tiger looked like.

    Science museums usually give kids an opportunity to learn about science by seeing different scientific principles in practice. They may be able to learn about pressure and the effects of gas by launching a bottle rocket or about lasers by using mirrors on a grid. These museums also have seasonal exhibits that are sure to excite your kiddos, so check with yours often to see what they offer.

    Follow up your trip to a museum with a visit to your library where you check out books for further reading about whatever your children are still curious about.

    Indoor Play Zones

    When all else fails, call ahead to an indoor play zone, a laser tag facility, or a trampoline or bounce house building. They may offer group rates, and you can put out a call to your homeschool groups and coops to have friends meet you there to let the kiddos blow off steam and let the mamas have some important adult conversation. Even the indoor playground at McDonald’s and a friend and her kids meeting for a late lunch has done wonders for my sanity. Try it out.

    Local field trip spots are not hard to find and your kids–and your sanity–will thank you as you get out and move during the winter months.

    About the Author

    Colleen is a former teacher of gifted children who hoped for nice, average kids. Since things never quite work out as planned, she now stays at home to homeschool her highly gifted kids, trying desperately to stay one step ahead of them while writing about their adventures {and messes} at Raising Lifelong Learners. You can find her avoiding housework by playing on the trampoline or going for hikes with her kids. 

  • 7 Ways to Afford a Boxed Homeschool Curriculum

    7 Ways to Afford a Boxed Homeschool Curriculum

    Do you want to use a boxed curriculum but worry that you can’t afford it? If you feel that a boxed curriculum like BookShark is best for your children, don’t give up on purchasing it because you’re intimidated by the price tag. You may find that with strategic planning, you can afford a boxed curriculum.

    Before looking for additional money in your budget, first put the price into perspective. For example, consider the price per child if multiple children will be using it.

    Let’s say you have a fifth grader, a first grader, and a preschooler. If you purchase the fifth grade BookShark complete package for approximately $998, you receive materials for all the subjects your child needs—readers, read alouds, history, language arts, math, science, and spelling.

    If you keep the curriculum, you’ll be able to use it when your second child reaches fifth grade and again when your third child reaches that age. Of course, you’ll need to replace the consumables which cost approximately $350 per child. So, in this scenario, you’re able to teach three children the 5th grade complete curriculum for a grand total of $1,348, or approximately $450 per child. Suddenly, the curriculum has become much more affordable.

    Calculate how much you currently spend in one year to homeschool your children and compare that to the price on a complete curriculum. You may think that you’re not spending as much as a complete package, but that’s may be because you buy curriculum little by little throughout the year instead of all at once as you would with a boxed curriculum.

    Use Your Tax Refund

    Some families who live on a very tight budget earmark their tax refund or a portion of it to buy curriculum each year. A refunt typically comes in the late winter or early spring, just the time you are starting to consider your curriculum choices for the upcoming fall.

    Save Each Month

    Another option is to set aside a certain amount every month to pay for the curriculum you anticipate buying. If you’re buying the full package for third grade and Kindergarten, for example, you’ll be paying approximately $2,418 for the year, so you’ll need to set aside $202 a month to pay for the curriculum.

    When your children get older, your monthly saving plan will be less expensive because you can save a program for the next child. When the children in the above example are in sixth and third grades, you will need to spend only $1570 ($1200 for the full sixth grade curriculum and $370 for the consumables for the 3rd grade curriculum). In this example, you’ll need to set aside only $130 a month.

    Teach Your Children Together

    If your children are within two to three grades of one another, you can combine them for their studies in history, literature, and science. So, if you have a fourth grader and a second grader, you could choose to teach them at a level in the middle, perhaps 3rd grade, which is suitable for children ages 8 to 11. Keep in mind that you will still need to teach your children at grade level for math, language arts, handwriting, and spelling. By combining some parts of your curriculum, you can see substantial savings.

    Sell Your Used Curriculum

    Once you’re done with your curriculum and no longer have a younger child to use it, sell it. BookShark curriculum maintains its value. You can sell it via eBay or a BookShark used curriculum Facebook group. You can likely regain at least 50% of your purchase price especially if it’s relatively new and in good condition. You can also try to sell the curriculum at your local homeschool group, but you’ll likely make more money online.

    Buy a Used Set of Boxed Curriculum

    Since there is a booming market for used boxed curriculum, consider buying it used. You’ll likely pay only half the price of retail. When you’re done using the curriculum, you can sell it again and recoup a good portion of your investment.

    While you may initially think that a boxed curriculum is too expensive for your family, when you use these strategies, you may find that it’s comparable to other alternatives.

    One Extra Way to Afford Boxed Curriculum

    BookShark Payment Plans

    BookShark now offers 3, 6, 9 and 12-month interest-free payment plan! Click below to find out more.

  • 3 Ways BookShark Curriculum Is a Bargain

    3 Ways BookShark Curriculum Is a Bargain

    Because I love BookShark curriculum, I tell all of my homeschooling friends about it. During such a discussion, it’s not uncommon for a friend to lament that while BookShark looks amazing, it’s just too expensive.

    Although this is a common misconception among many homeschoolers, I find the opposite to be true. The way I see it, BookShark is an affordable way to provide my child with a quality education.

    1. BookShark Versus Private School

    First, I compare BookShark’s cost to private school. When my oldest child was nearing school age, we immediately ruled out public schools because of an inferior school system in our local area. Instead, he attended a private school through third grade. 

    Since we qualified for tuition assistance at the private school, our monthly tuition payment was $258. Without financial aid, the payment would have been almost $600 a month! Annually, we were paying $3,096 a year for tuition with financial aid! On top of the base costs, we also had to pay for school supplies, uniforms, and fundraisers. With all those additional expenses, the yearly total was closer to $3,500 a year. Without financial aid, we would have paid $7,200 a year.  

    Yes, compared to private school, BookShark’s full grade curriculum packages of approximately $800 to $1000 a year are a bargain! Plus, I find BookShark’s curriculum far superior to the education my son received in private school.

    Better learning for less money? Yes! Sign me up.

    2. BookShark Versus DIY Curriculum

    Next, I compare BookShark to piecing together your own program. Most moms who tell me BookShark is too expensive are frugal with their money and like to make smart financial choices. They usually prefer to piece together their children’s curriculum by buying used novels and second-hand Instructor’s Guides. This can be a great way to go. I tried it myself during the early years of homeschooling.

    What I found, though, is that when buying used, I spent more money than I anticipated over the course of the year. Some of the books I purchased weren’t as described —filled with highlighting and pencil marks, for example, so I’d have to spend more money buying the product again, hopefully in better condition.

    What’s worse, I spent far too much of my valuable time searching for the items I needed, corresponding with sellers, and tracking down sellers who didn’t send my product in a timely manner. For me, the few hundred dollars I saved buying used wasn’t worth the hassle, frustration, and time. Now I prefer to buy my BookShark curriculum new, in pristine condition, ready for my child.

    3. BookShark Versus Single Use Curriculum

    If you homeschool more than one child, the cost of using BookShark curriculum goes down each time you use it with your next child. I have a seventh grader who has used Levels D and E and is currently in Level F. I also have two younger children who are currently in Level B. When they get to Level D, which I already own, I’ll only need to buy the consumables for them, making my yearly cost approximately $300! You really can’t beat that price for a year of quality instruction. Then, when my younger children are done with the material, I’ll sell it used and recoup some of the money I originally spent, lowering my overall cost even further.

    While on the surface some may think BookShark curriculum is expensive, when you compare it to the expense of private school, the time spent to piece together used books, and the savings from reusing a particular curriculum package, BookShark can be seen for what it is—a quality education at a very affordable price.

    About the Author

    Melissa is a homeschool mom to three kids. BookShark is her primary curriculum, and she and her kids love it! When she’s not homeschooling, she’s either shuttling kids from one activity to another or working from home as a freelance writer. You can read more about Melissa’s homeschool journey at her blog Moms Plans.

  • 7 Tips for Handling New Vocabulary During Read-Alouds

    7 Tips for Handling New Vocabulary During Read-Alouds

    Reading books to our children isn’t merely an ideal way to cement family relationships or enjoy a pleasant afternoon. It’s also an excellent method to introduce new vocabulary words to our children and help them master those words.

    Here are seven easy tips for teaching and reviewing new vocabulary learned during read-alouds with your children. Pick and choose from these different options. You don’t want to use every tip for each new word you encounter. Choose the words that you think are most integral to the story or words that your children are most likely to encounter in their daily lives or academic reading. 

    1. Stop and define the word

    Stop reading as soon as you run into the new word and define it immediately. Your children will immediately hear the word in context and how it’s used in literature.

    2. Ask children to define the word

    Instead of defining the word yourself, ask your children if they know what it means. If they don’t, help the children figure out what the word means from the context and see who can come up with the best guess.

    3. Look it up in the dictionary

    Another way to learn a new vocabulary word is to look it up in the dictionary after you ask the children to predict what the word means. This is also an excellent way to teach dictionary skills and ingrain the lifelong habit of checking the dictionary for any definitions the child doesn’t know.be assured that you can cover nearly every academic subject with almost any topic. Look for the connections between your child’s current passion and math, science, social studies, English, writing, and history. And then set them free to learn with full excitement!

    4. Write it down to look up later

    Instead of stopping the storyline in the middle of action and possibly losing children’s interest, keep a notepad next to you and write down any words you’d like to discuss later. Discuss and look up the words after you’ve finished the day’s read aloud. 

    5. Review new vocabulary at the end of the session

    Defining new words is important, but it’s also just as important to help the kids retain the new vocabulary words. As you finish the day’s read aloud, ask the children to review the new vocabulary words and their meaning with you. See who can remember the most words and hand out high fives to the kids as they define the vocabulary.

    6. Define words at dinner time

    Every evening review the new words at dinner time. Make an impromptu game to see who can use the most new vocabulary words at the dinner table. How many unique and challenging sentences can be spoken?

    7. Use the word as many times as possible

    Use the words yourself as many times as you can during the next week. The children may not use the vocabulary word in their spoken vocabulary, but even the smallest child will begin to understand the vocabulary words as they hear them in use.

    Read-alouds bring a wonderful opportunity to expand your children’s vocabulary. Using these seven tips to discuss and review the words in context will cement the vocabulary in your children’s mind better than any program.sitive emotional and social benefits far beyond merely escaping a negative public school environment where bullying is rampant.

  • 5 Ways to Give Accountability to a Kid Who Is Slacking in Homeschool

    5 Ways to Give Accountability to a Kid Who Is Slacking in Homeschool

    I want to develop my child’s natural love of learning. But some days it seems he’s more interested in smashing through the next level of a favorite video game than doing his homeschool assignments. 

    Yes, kids can lose steam with their school work even with the most engaging of curriculum. Encouraging a child’s accountability for their assignments is a challenge, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. When you can motivate your child, you curb their dawdling, you teach them time management, and—in the long run, you raise a young person who can self-regulate.

    So, what can a parent do to help a child who seems to be slacking? How can a homeschool parent provide the accountability a child needs without micromanaging?

    1. Creating a Partnership Between Kids and Parents

    First, we need to understand that sometimes what looks like slacking can actually be boredom or feeling trapped in a routine that they have little control over.

    Creating a partnership between yourself and your child is a great step in encouraging accountability and responsibility. It begins by listening to each other and respecting each other.

    The outcome of this dialogue will likely include giving children control over their education. Look for all the possible ways you can allow them to choose. Some kids prefer a more structured homeschool plan of checklists while other kids may enjoy an unstructured rhythm. Your child may prefer to do much of their work online, while others may prefer hands-on activities, or a literature-rich approach. Give them ownership over their education by letting them choose topics, curriculum, schedules, formats, etc. The more control they have, the more motivated they will be. 

    2. Getting Kids Invested in Their Work

    A child’s interests can be a great way to get them invested in their work if they are slacking off. Ask your children what they want to learn about. This shows that you care and value their opinions.

    Is your child interested in

    Any of those topics can be the focus of a rich homeschool study. Let your kiddo choose the topic! Go to the library and pick books and videos all about the thing that interests them. Let your kid read, research, and dive deep. When your child has satisfied the thirst for knowledge on that subject, let them pick another topic! Or perhaps you may want to have several different interests going at the same time.

    If you are concerned about leaving out any particular topics, be assured that you can cover nearly every academic subject with almost any topic. Look for the connections between your child’s current passion and math, science, social studies, English, writing, and history. And then set them free to learn with full excitement!

    3. Empowering Accountability

    To be successful at anything, our children need accountability to be responsible. The primary way to instill responsibility is two-fold:

    • be clear about expectations
    • help your child set bite-sized goals to work through

    In all things remember that you want to preserve the joy of learning. So take a step back and consider whether you need to adjust your expectations when your kids appear to be slacking.

    External force and negative incentives (punishments) have been proven to be poor motivators in the long run. On the other hand, positive reinforcement and natural consequences are far better ways of building a work ethic in children.

    4. Modeling Accountability

    If you really want to bring home the idea of accountability, then show your kids by modeling that behavior in your life. Show your curiosity for learning new things, and your kids will do the same.Let them see your personal goal setting and then demonstrate consistency in achieving your own goals even when you’d rather do something else.

    Let’s face it, we as adults don’t find certain tasks enjoyable either. How many times have we put off taking out the trash, making an important phone call, or creating that spreadsheet for work? 

    Showing our kids that even the boring tedious tasks must be done, develops a sense of accountability in our lives and the lives of our young learners. Monkey see, monkey do, so to speak.

    5. Rewarding Effort

    Finding a balance between external rewards (such as screen time, money, gold stars, or candy) and the internal reward of a job well done is key.

    Done sparingly, rewards can be good motivators for reluctant learners who are prone to slacking. But try to encourage effort over outcome. This attitude sets your child up for a growth mindset which helps them overcome obstacles later in life.

    As a homeschool mom, I always want to to lovingly motivate my kids instead of using force. Rewards can be helpful but may not ultimately change behavior. So, it’s important to encourage perseverance. Teach problem-solving skills while also giving your children the freedom to choose their interests to get them invested in their work.

    It’s not easy as a parent to traverse the continuum of pushing our kids too much to the other extreme of coddling and over-sheltering them. But we can all agree that accountability in adulthood is forged in the early years. Now is the time to lay that foundation with loving accountability!f positive emotional and social benefits far beyond merely escaping a negative public school environment where bullying is rampant.

    About the Author

    I’m Erin, an introverted homeschooling mom to two intense extroverted kids. We are child led with a heavy emphasis on read alouds, games, art, nature hikes, and hands-on everything! My kids just learn better when they can use their hands. You can find me at Nourishing My Scholar.

    We traded the hustle and bustle of city life for the quiet that only farm life can provide. This creates a wonderful environment for our children, complete with chickens, goats, ducks, and cows. I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter and Gilmore Girls. When we’re not homeschooling, you’ll find me curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book or possibly enjoying a random dance party in the front yard to the newest Disney soundtrack.

  • Homeschooling to Escape Bullying in Schools

    Homeschooling to Escape Bullying in Schools

    To celebrate going back to school one year, my mom sewed the prettiest pink and purple, paisley bell-bottom pants for me. Because my mom didn’t know bell-bottoms had been out of style for a few years, I was called names and made fun at school that first day back to class. On the outside, I expressed anger and wanted to punch the bullies in the mouth, but on the inside I was crushed.

    When I think about the time and love my mom put into those pants (which we never wore again), I get emotional, yet I’m also grateful that I didn’t resort to fist fighting and that the teasing never went beyond a single occurrence related to the funky pants.

    What is Bullying?

    As a parent, I’ve wrestled with the definition of bullying as I teach my sons the difference between a personality conflict and abuse. The difference is not always obvious to a child or even to an adult, yet understanding the definition of bullying empowers a victim to take a stand if necessary.

    It’s almost impossible to cover every warning sign of a bully, but one simple definition of bullying is intentionally hurting another person or deliberate aggression. As we all know, that definition is still too broad. Other telltale signs of a bullying situation are as follows:

    • continual physical acts and/or verbal abuse over a period of time
    • (on the part of the person being bullied) stressing over not only what just happened but also what may happen in the future
    • the stronger dominating the weaker

    Homeschooling as a Reaction to Bullying

    Bullying immediately brings out that maternal feeling to shield her child from harm. Parents want to do something, and they may consider a huge change—even leaving public school to homeschool.

    So is homeschooling a viable option when a child is facing bullying at school? I say yes! It is a parent’s natural (and good) instinct to shelter her child. If a child is unable to protect himself, it falls to the parents to do so for him. 

    Is homeschooling the easy way out as some critics may say? Should kids be forced to work out their problems on their own, grow a tough hide, learn how to ignore caustic remarks, and fight back when physically confronted? 

    Does homeschooling turn our kids into socially inept sissies who can’t handle the pressures of normal childhood squabbles? 

    No way.

    I homeschooled my boys, and they still learned how to get along with their peers and constructively face relationship problems. My children are now reaching adulthood, and they’re confident, secure, and capable of making decisions that go against the crowd. This didn’t happen because I sent them to public school to duke it out with mean girls or bullies.

    Is Your Child a Victim of Physical or Verbal Bullying?

    When I worked in a lawyer’s office handling divorces, I saw many cases of abuse, and it never got easier to observe. I remember key advice social workers would give an abused spouse—You can never change the person you’re living with. The message was that a victim of abuse has two choices: leave the abuser or live with the abuse.

    When an abused spouse choses to leave, nobody thinks that she is not facing up to real-life problems or trying to escape the real world! In another example, no one thinks poorly of the employee who stands up in the face of workplace bullying to exert his legal right to a safe work environment free from prejudice and abuse.

    Quite the contrary. We applaud victims of abuse when they take a stand to escape a toxic relationship or to assert their rights.

    Bullying is a type of abuse that we don’t tolerate when it happens to adults. Why should a child be forced to stay in an abusive situation that is destroying his sense of safety and confidence? Living in such a fearful situation is no way to build character in a child.

    So, yes, homeschooling is a viable fix for bullying (not an easy fix as homeschooling is a big responsibility and sometimes sacrifice). But homeschooling is good for so much more than merely pulling your children out of a toxic environment of bullying.

    Here are additional ways homeschooling benefits your child socially:

    • When a child studies what interests him and manages his time to do so, he grows in to self-confidence.
    • When a child is focused on his own learning and interacting with others who care for him instead of forced to fend for himself in a doglike pack hierarchy, he can learn true life skills.
    • A child can flourish with social skills when he is involved in public speaking in a co-op setting and focuses on rigorous academics.
    • A warm and loving home is the best place for a child to learn how to build character. School, after all, is an artificial, institutional environment.
    • There are many team building opportunities in homeschooling like 4-H, football, basketball, and volleyball where a child can learn to work out personality conflicts with others.
    • A child has the right to learn in a stress-free environment, supported by adults who love and protect him.

    When I was a student in my paisley bell-bottom pants, homeschooling was not a well-known option to escape bullying at school. Fortunately, what I faced was a one-time episode of teasing and not full blown bullying. So my parents didn’t have the tough decision of handling a toxic learning environment. If you are considering homeschooling because of persistent bullying, don’t listen to the people who accuse you of being too protective or being a helicopter parent. Trust your parental instincts to protect, and know that homeschooling will provide a wealth of positive emotional and social benefits far beyond merely escaping a negative public school environment where bullying is rampant.

    About the Author

    Tina Robertson celebrated the graduation of Mr. Senior in 2013 and Mr. Awesome in 2015. Because of her love for new homeschoolers, she mentors moms through her unique program called New Bee Homeschoolers. She loves all homeschoolers, though, as she shares her free 7 Step Curriculum Planner, unit studies, lapbooks and homeschooling how tos. She can’t sing, dance, or craft, but she counts organizing as a hobby. She is still in the homeschool trenches blogging at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus.