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 […]
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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
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*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
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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
Last year I had the pleasure of speaking at an annual dinner for homeschooling parents. It meant so much to be able to look at these parents in the eyes, and to encourage them in their educational journeys. This year, I am returning to the same event to speak and as I began to prepare,
Attitude Adjustment I can remember growing up and hearing my mom remind me to “change my face.” That reminder probably came after being reprimanded about something, and thus an ensuing attitude. I most certainly needed an attitude adjustment. Guess what? I apparently still do. Children have this uncanny ability to say and do things in
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