Happy Hive Homeschooling

Hey Reader, Comparison measures what it can see. That’s part of what makes it so sneaky. It looks at the posed photo, a finished project, and a stack of books (classics for sure!).It looks at the organized shelf and the smiling kids at the museum (in France!). And then it whispers... “They’re doing better than you.” Comparison-itis Symptom #3 Believing everyone else has homeschooling figured out while you’re the only one second-guessing. Please hear me. You are not the only one...

Hey Reader, Picture this. A homeschool mom posts a beautiful photo. The table is covered with watercolor paints.The sunlight is perfect.The kids are smiling.There are nature books open beside little jars of wildflowers.Someone has painted a butterfly that actually looks like a butterfly. The caption says something like: “Simple summer learning in our home today.” And maybe it is true. Maybe it really was a lovely moment. But here is what you did not see. You did not see the tears before...

Hey Reader, Have you ever looked at the calendar and thought... "Where did the weekend go?" Or maybe... "How is it Friday already? We haven't done anything we planned!" You started the summer with good intentions. You pictured nature walks. Reading together. Crafts. The ultimate swim day. Maybe finally finishing that math book. Instead...life happened. You stayed up too late watching fireworks. You made pancakes for dinner. You spent an afternoon at Grandma's. The kids built an epic blanket...

Hey Reader, Summer has a funny way of making us ask two questions at the same time. "Are we making enough memories?" ...and... "Are we doing enough learning?" If you've caught yourself wondering whether your child is "doing enough" this summer, I want you to know you're not alone. That's exactly why I was excited to partner with the latest issue of Let's Teach! @Home eZine. This issue is filled with practical ideas to help you enjoy summer and feel confident heading into a new homeschool...

Hey Reader, What if it all counted? What if... Making breakfast counted. Walking the dog counted. Folding laundry counted. Planting flowers counted. Grocery shopping counted. Helping a younger sibling counted. Learning how to apologize counted. Learning how to keep a promise counted. Learning how to finish something you started counted. Not because those things replace reading, writing, or math. But because they teach something just as important. I think homeschool moms carry an invisible...

Hey Reader, Okay - real quick...did you grab the 85-page Statue of Liberty Unit my friend Elizabeth made? I shared about it in Friday's Fun Finds. Elizabeth is a teacher turned homeschool mom like me. She tends to go overboard...like me. This Unit is over the top. It's a homeschool must-have. Statue of Liberty Day is in October... that's a little hop, skip, and a jump from now. If you didn't get to this for America 250, get it now and save it for October. You can use The Busy Homeschool Mom’s...

Hey Reader, Yesterday we talked about uncertainty. If you need a refresher, read it {here} I mentioned how kids are often more willing to help once they know what's expected. But today I want to look at something different. Let's say your child helps fold a basket of towels. When they're finished... What did they learn? If your first thought is: "Nothing. They just folded towels." Can I invite you to... Look again. Maybe they noticed that bath towels belong in one stack and hand towels in...

Hey Reader, The dishwasher needs to be unloaded, and there's a basket of laundry waiting to be folded. If I’m being honest, the laundry is NOT in a basket. I just piled it on the pool table. It’s been there for a few days. My youngest wanders in and asks if we’re going to bake cookies. Sigh… The house is a mess. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a little voice whispers: "We're never going to get school done." Years ago, my mentor, Teri, introduced me to Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd). One...

Hey Reader, The illness I'm referencing is comparison-itis. You open Facebook for two minutes. Just two minutes. Maybe you were checking a notification.Maybe you were looking for a recipe.Maybe you were going to quickly peek at a homeschool group and then move on with your life like a calm, reasonable person. Then suddenly... Helen Homeschool’s kids finished math for the summer.Co-Op Carol posted that her kids started a business.Road School Rachel and her family are on a dreamy national parks...