My daughter is heading into sixth grade this September, which means we just passed a monumental milestone – she completed fifth grade! I like to take time to reflect on our experiences each year, but this year felt more important than most as we work to determine our path forward for
As we approach back-to-school season, I tend to start thinking about rituals and traditions. You may have picked up on the fact that I like to help mark the passage of time with little moments and experiences that help make one season distinct from another and each year
One of the things I tell almost everyone I meet who's considering homeschooling is to focus on establishing a rhythm. Even if you're just starting out, this is way more important than what curriculum (if any) you're going to use. Curricula come and go
My daughter used to attend a project-based school. On paper, it sounded perfect. Unit studies, hands-on learning, none of that sit-at-a-desk-all-day rigidity. I was thrilled. Then I watched her fade. One year, every child in her class studied volcanoes. Every single one. For
One of the questions I get most often from families new to homeschooling is some version of: "What curriculum should I use?" My first answer is always: start simpler than you think you need to. Read together, learn through life, and add curriculum when you feel grounded and
When you first decide to homeschool, there's usually a very specific picture in your head. You imagine a quiet kitchen table. A neatly sharpened pencil. A colorful workbook. A child sitting still, absorbing information exactly the way they would in a classroom. It's a pretty picture,
If you are trying to work while homeschooling, you've probably already realized a hard truth: you can't give 100% to a work project and 100% to your child at the exact same time. And yet, that’s exactly what most of us try to do. We
secular homeschool
Have you ever done a wardrobe audit or created a capsule wardrobe? It's an intentional process of frontloading decisions so that getting dressed every day becomes simple. You know everything in your closet represents you, and it really helps cut the mental load you carry in the morning
Kids need boundaries and clear expectations. We hear it all the time, right? Well, today we’re going to take a step back from those thoughts because sometimes they actually make it worse. You try to be clear and firm, but you end up with pushbacks and meltdowns. It kinda
read alouds
It's easy to get sucked into planning mode over the summer. As homeschoolers, we've got curriculum to think about! We have camps and vacations to plan! And yet, two of the things that really anchor our summers around here are pretty simple and definitely replicable year
Reflections
Or "Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Started Homeschooling."
News
Hey there. Welcome. My name's Julia, and even though I'm a writer, I find it hard to put myself into words. Perhaps it's because I'm a polymath. Perhaps that's just how it goes. I'm a 1980s baby, 90&