I’m reading this book that is so great that I almost want to start a reading group so we can discuss each chapter. It’s called Childhood in America, and it’s a 700-page anthology of three-page excerpts from scholarly writing about childhood.
Colleges don’t want generalists in their schools. Colleges want a whole class of well-rounded specialists. For homeschoolers who want to go to a top college, they will need to specialize. Here are some tips for helping your kid find a specialty. Read more
The pictures hanging up are from my niece and nephew. My kids don’t draw. They don’t color. The last time I recall one of my kids holding a pen was when my son wrote his Seven Games password on his shorts because he couldn’t find a piece of paper. Read more
When I first started homeschooling my biggest worry was friends. I have a very social son. He told me all the time that he needed more friends, and I spent a lot of time feeling guilty. Read more
You can tell if you’re writing something that’s interesting to other people because they will either comment on your post or they will share your post. I have found that commenting means You make a good argument, but I don’t agree. And sharing on Facebook means This is what I believe as well. But either way, anyone acknowledging your writing—reading what you write closely enough to have a response—is so incredibly gratifying. Read more
The new word for he is ne and the new word for she is ne, too. Because we should not assume gender identification just from looking at someone. Read more
Someone who writes with misspellings is someone who is not detail-oriented. But who cares? Only half the world pays attention to details. Spellcheck insures that when the writing counts, the spelling will be right. I imagine many of you are up-in-arms thinking your kids can’t get a job without knowing how to spell. Read more
What do you do with a kid who wants to quit school? Let them. Of course. No matter what they want to do instead of going to school, we are always more successful in life if we are doing what we are self-motivated to do. Read more
Passover is the time Jewish people get together and tell the story of Exodus so the kids learn where they came from (we were slaves in the land of Egypt… is the refrain). But no story you’ve heard every year for your whole life is interesting, so part of Passover is making the story fun for kids. Read more
How many parents do you hear saying this: “I love all the choices my adult children make, they are leading exactly the life I hoped for them.”
Zero, right?
So I’m starting to think that homeschooling is just parents accepting this much sooner.