You know the struggle, parents. High school years are a tough balancing act between supporting independence and keeping the reins! The teen years are a crucial period in a young person’s life where they begin to form their identity, beliefs, and worldview—a scary time for parents! It is a time when individuals are exposed to a variety of perspectives, ideologies, and influences that can shape their understanding of the world.

Nurturing Social Skills in Homeschooled Children Written By Thalia Schertzer – 11 years old As a homeschooler parent, you probably know that socialization is an important aspect of development. There are many ways to increase socialization for your chi

One of the many questions out there about Christianity is “How do you know there is a God?” While there are different answers to this question, one of them is something seen all around us with our eyes. Even God’s Word in the Bible tells us in Luke 19:40 that the rocks will cry out in praise to God and “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Everyone can experience this awe of God and the wonderment at His creation in different places and circumstances. You never know where you or your child will experience that certainty that “this must have been purposefully created.”

Growing up, travelling was at the forefront of my mind. Any opportunity to do so I would jump on, often to the dismay of my mother. At the age of 14, my friends and I dreamed of buying a van and going on a long road trip to anywhere. Fast forward to my early 20’s; the road trip never came to fruition. However, my husband and I backpacked around Australia for a month and later travelled to French Polynesia.

There are many easy, fun, and engaging ways to incorporate art into your homeschool day. Take a look at the ideas and suggestions below and choose those that will work for the ages and interests of your children as well as fit your schedule for the day.

From family vacations to business trips to visiting family, there are many reasons for flights within Canada and abroad. If you or your children have ever wondered what a pilot’s training or work is like or if you have a soon-to-be high school graduate who is considering or interested in pursuing a career in aviation, then be sure to read on.

Visiting an aviation museum is great at any time of the year, whether as a field trip or planned as part of a family vacation. With a variety of planes and history found at aviation museums, family members of all ages will find something of interest and acquire knowledge in a new area.

Perhaps you might be considering going away on a family trip to visit places around the world. This can be costly and not a feasible option for your family right away. However, there is always an adventure waiting for you in a book! The best part is books are free — all you need is a library card. You may not have considered doing a library scavenger hunt, but the library contains a wealth of information for your community and can be a great asset for homeschoolers on the whole.

Science is a subject that involves lots of exploration, experiments to try, and an appreciation of nature and God’s creation. Whether during the warmer weather or cooler months, science field trips are great at any time of the year and perfect for children and parents alike.

If your kids are anything like mine, they live outside in the summer as much as possible. Due to this, I don’t worry too much through the school year about science. We do use a formal science curriculum that we do occasionally, but we aren’t consistent with it. The teacher in me never thought I would be so loosey-goosey with something like this, but as I have stepped away from teaching in the traditional school system, I have changed my mind and had my eyes opened to all the learning that happens around you. I know now my kids are going to learn more about science when they experience it in life, especially when they experience it during play in the great outdoors.

I remember our science curriculum in first grade—a small square book published locally that was a few hundred pages. I do not know if it is still in print. As a young girl, science was my favourite subject. It was easy to understand and interesting to learn—and I was good at it. But there was one thing lacking in our science classes—no experiments!!

This is about the time of year, as the weather gets nicer and the mamas get more tired, that the school year can tend to feel like it’s dragging out. We can feel tempted to just pull the plug on the year or really feel like we have to force ourselves to finish. What if it didn’t have to be that way? What if instead we could finish strong and have joy filled days? I know you are feeling weary mama, but you control the climate of your home. Here are some ideas to help you finish strong.