Kids are always watching. Every move we make. Every word we say. Kids see and hear it all. I've often said, if you want to know the phrases you say too much...have kids. As parents, we have been entrusted by God to raise these precious blessings He has given us. We are to protect them, feed them, nurture them and as Christians, we are to help them grow in Christ. It is also our job to inspire them. To be better. To be stronger. To be godly Christian men and women. Our Personal Media Choices Matter But how can we inspire them? How can we teach them to be more Christ-like in a world full of evil ...Read More
Homeschooling Traveling and Homeschool: Resources and Tips
Until a couple years ago, we lived within miles of most of our family. So, we really didn't travel much - or at all, except at the holidays. And even then, it was minimal. But, now that we live over 600 miles from our families, traveling is a must. Living in a new state has also given us a new appreciation for homeschooling. We have so much fun traveling around and learning about the rich history in which we now live. But, I quickly realized that our "day trips" were not as exciting for the kids as they were for my husband and I. So, I knew something needed to change. I mean...we homeschool. Surely there was a ...Read More
FREE Summer Spelling & Coloring Pack
During the summer you will most likely find my children outside playing. But, during the "heat of the day," I like to bring them inside for some cool-down time and let them rest. And even though no "formal" schooling is taking place, we still practice some of the basics - such as reading and handwriting - over the summer months, especially during those young, formidable years. But, if you approach them with anything that remotely resembles schoolwork, they will revolt. So, I try to use creative tactics for practicing those essentials. One of those ways is through some fun Spelling and Coloring pages. So this year ...Read More
FREE Summer Copywork Printables
And just like that, we're done with our regular schoolwork and on to summer. Can you believe this year is almost half-way over? I think it's definitely true, that time goes faster the older you get. Crazy how that works! Even though we don't do a full "formal" day of homeschooling in the summer, I try to give them some minimal schoolwork at least a couple times a week. Handwriting is one of those subjects that I think needs constant work. It is a skill that takes a while to master and if kids don't use it for a while, it's easy to slide backwards into bad habits again. So this month I created some fun ...Read More
Spring Spelling & Copywork Fun Pack (free printables)
I cannot believe the nicer weather has finally arrived! My kids are so excited and happy to be outside again. They have been so cooped up this winter with all the snow and low temperatures. We plan to fully enjoy these beautiful Spring days! When the weather gets nicer outside, it's often difficult to keep my kids interested in their school work. So I like to incorporate more seasonal and fun activities to keep their interest, while sneaking in some much needed school time. One of those ways is through fun Spelling and Copywork. By this point in the year, my younger ones have already gone through the alphabet ...Read More
5 Reasons Homeschoolers Should Use Report Cards (plus a free printables)
I've gathered together five reasons homeschoolers should use report cards as well as some free printables for you to use. Some states require homeschoolers to submit reports for everything - curriculum, lesson plans, progress reports and even semester report cards - for every grade, not just high school. But what about those states who don't? Should we still record grades? I will admit, we have homeschooled in two states and neither of them required reports to be submitted. However, from the very beginning, our oldest has always wanted to know his grades. So I have graded papers. Every year. Most of ...Read More
7 Tips and Tricks to Help Older Kids with Scripture Memory
Memorizing larger passages of Scripture can be difficult for most people. As a Bible college graduate, I have had my fair share of practice. As a child, memorizing came easy to me. Maybe it was the fun and challenge of the contests we had in youth group or at church camp. I don't know. Every year our family groups competed as teams for "points" throughout the week. From a very young age, I was competitive. I remember helping my Mom's family group (high schoolers) during the challenges by memorizing large passages of Scripture several times a day. But as I got older, that became more difficult. I'm not sure if ...Read More
7 Things Your Kids Need to Hear You Say {A New Years Resolution}
I've never been big on New Year's resolutions. Mostly because I make them too lofty, which means they get squashed as quickly as they came and leave me feeling frustrated and discouraged. The past few years I have set a few goals I wanted to accomplish throughout the new year, but most of them included this "one word" craze. This year, however, is a little different. While I'm going with one overall theme word - purposeful - I am also looking for ways that I can tangibly live it out in my daily life. As I began to break down how the word purposeful would look in each area of my life, parenting kept coming to ...Read More
