The Autodidact

College and the real world weighs heavily on those homeschoolers whose children are not quite there yet. How will I get them into college? How will they function in the real world or the classroom? What curricula or method or type of co-op is the best to help in this endeavor? Now that I have two graduates who are out there in that real world of college and work, they have graciously given me feedback on what prepared them for the paths they have chosen to pursue. My oldest has an Associates of Arts, and EMT certification and is in Medic school, while working as an EMT and, for the summer, as a lifeguard instructor/pool manager. My second oldest is in the Army National Guard, is also working as a lifeguard for the summer, drills with the Guard once a month, and has finished one year of college. Do we really have such little faith in our kids' abilities to think that a classroom or a job would completely stymie them? Do we really think that once they set foot out in the real w...

Recently, I was in a very encouraging and lively Facebook discussion concerning a newbie homeschooler mom who was ready to throw in the towel. With a 6 year old. It was great to see so many other moms come along side her and encourage her and ask good questions. Among things recommended by many, including myself, was simply reading to her children. To just push aside all the workbooks and projects and curricula and read aloud, and then read some more. Then go play and do some chores together. The mom and some other moms feeling the same were encouraged and open to the advice from the older, more experienced moms. During the conversation, the original poster said she liked the idea of shoving aside the school stuff and just reading and living life with her kids, but it felt like cheating. And a light went on in my head. Bingo! Eureka! She was so right. We ARE cheating, beating the system at its own game. We moms, some with "only" a high school diploma, armed with ve...

Mothers's Day is hard for me, but not for the usual reasons. I just have trouble accepting any honor or credit for my mothering. I've messed up big time on more than one occasion; I have found myself doing and saying the very things I swore I would never do or say; I just don't feel worthy of the accolades and flowers, however much I like having them. And that's the struggle for me: the handmade cards, flowers, special meals and well wishes all feel good and at the same time point out to me my horrible failures. I look at my kids and see all the good things that they are and do, and I say to myself "How did that happen? How did they learn that? It surely wasn't something I did!" I look at their struggles and shortcomings and I say to myself "That's my fault. I did this, and I can't undo it. I hope they can forgive me and overcome it." Mother's Day for me is part beating myself up for the job I've done, and part being in...

Now here is a savory, easy and filling meal. It's not quite a taco, and it's not quite a Middle Eastern dinner, either. It's something in between. This recipe is just enough for my crowd of 9, with no leftovers. Fry together: 2 pounds ground beef 1 chopped onion 2 stalks chopped celery 1/2 diced green pepper When the meat is almost cooked, add: 4 T Worcestershire sauce 4 T soy sauce 2 t cumin 2 t Italian seasoning 1 T granulated garlic Stir in, and let cook a few minutes. At first, this combination of seasoning may not seem to go together. Trust me- they do! Serve on top of pita bread with yogurt, cheese, lettuce and tomato, and slices of avocado. Simple! For a allergen free meal, you can just load it all on a plate full of lettuce, eliminate the cheese and yogurt, and use Bragg's Liquid Aminos, instead of the soy sauce. Serve with corn chips, or use taco shells instead of pita.

The rain strikes the sandstone Gently and persistently. What isn't subsumed  Leaves puddles for Bathing and loosening and the creatures indulge in it. The mist is hovering and descending  Toward the naked trees. They reach to receive nourishment And fulfillment from its Delicate hands. All of nature is pregnant with anticipation Ready to exhale in in ecstasies, Flower and perfume and life.  Droplets of life drip slowly From branch to leaf to flower. Opening the world Opening each living thing. Opening the soul To its power. And she joyfully receives The life.

Nit picking. Literally. Not nagging or carping or finding fault with your kids. But actually picking nits out of their hair. I never expected to find myself in this situation since I have always homeschooled, and my younger kids are never in Sunday School or co-ops or other regular group activities. But, alas, it happened. The 4 year old had a bug in her hair one day after a full day of playing outside in the warm sun. I flicked it out of her hair, and didn't give it another thought. Days later, she said her head itched, so I took a look. Another one of those bugs. And another. And another. Thankfully, a friend was over; a woman who spent years as a school teacher and who recognized immediately what I was dealing with. And thankfully, she was calm and reassuring. So, what follows is a result of research, trial and error, and my approach to the problem. And I must note, the problem spread to me. My 4 yr old is a girl, so shaving her head was not really an ...

Teaching children to read is tricky. When to start, how to approach it, and what to do if it isn't working are probably the most common questions or concerns. And just when you teach one child to read, the next one that comes along is very different, and you have to start from scratch! There is no magic age by which children must be reading or can read. Eliminating any special needs or delays in development, a child could begin reading independently as early as 4 or as late as 9. And I hate to even use the words "early" and "late" because there really is no such thing. They learn to read when they are ready. Ready to focus, sit still and put together the symbols on a page into words they can understand. There are many books and curricula out there to help teach your child to read, and several philosophies and approaches and mediums. There are apps for your phone or computer programs for your PC. It's overwhelming for some and hard to decide what is best....