Sometimes I sit up at night asking myself all kinds of questions related to our homeschool experience. There might be someone reading this who can relate. Perhaps you have wondered how you could build a stronger connection with a particular child. Or maybe you’ve asked yourself how you could better “see” a more invisible, quieter […]
Painting a Fuller Picture of Our Children Read More »
A few days ago I went to the grocery store to shop for some of our day to day needs. When I saw the state of the shelves, I’m not going to lie – a bit of anxiety set in. If stores were having a hard time keeping their shelves stocked with food and other
These Uncertain Times Read More »
Along with joy and happiness, a yellow flower is thought to signify success and pride, which is all very symbolic of the kind of day my children had. The four of them might have been metaphorically throwing yellow flowers at me by lunchtime. We accomplished absolutely nothing that I wanted to do. It was one
The Yellow Flower of Pride and Success Read More »
I could have easily said, “You want to play with beyblades? That’s what you want to do with your Project Time?” But instead, I took his plan, and validated it by giving him the time and space to do it. I was saying, “This is good work, because it’s your work.” Here’s a quick rundown
The Physics of Beyblades Read More »
*This post originally appeared on Instagram. Please connect with me there @lesliemmartino to be able to engage effectively with the links. Whether you’ve been homeschooling for a while or have recently been inducted into this world, these days ahead might leave you wanting for activities to do with your children. Here is a list (in
22 Homeschooling Activities You Can Do Today Read More »
My kids are constantly asked by others what grade they are in. When we first started homeschooling, they would turn to me with a helpless face that read, “Help me answer this please!” Then they would just simply tell people the expected grade according to their age. At the time I realized how uncomfortable the
What Does Achievement Really Look Like? Read More »
I know so many parents who would say that they try to appreciate each child as an individual, not comparing them to siblings or to other children. Yet, in the same breath, they also say that they worry about whether or not their children are “falling behind.” If it isn’t important to us that children
The Concept of Falling Behind Read More »
Can you remember a time when you learned something new or when doing or seeing something sparked an interest that excited you? Perhaps it was painting, or planting a garden, building a piece of furniture, or learning to play the guitar. When you realized how much this particular thing resonated with you, what did you
Slow and Intentional Wins This Race Read More »
A couple of years ago, my son started to ask a lot of questions about knives. Yes, that’s right – knives. He was pretty young at the time, so his fascination at first seemed peculiar to me. Every time I was cutting or chopping something in the kitchen, he would appear, asking me things like,
Never would I have imagined that we as parents and teachers would have to fight for a child’s right to play. Sadly, #takebackplay is a trending hashtag in certain education circles. I am saddened not by the hashtag itself (I’ve used it too), but by the fact that we even have to use it. Play
