Home Educator's Family Times

Six Time Management Principles for Every Homeschooler by Cheryl R. Carter

If we were to survey most of the people in our support group we would find a disproportionate number of ministry leaders, pastors, elders and para church organizations. It is that way in most support groups. Many secular home education groups have members who dance to the beat of a different drummer but most Christians are called out to be called up. Therefore nearly every home-schooler is a leader. Therefore it is not surprising that almost everyone is involved in some kind of ministry outreach be it missions, humanitarian, church, community or expanding family.

(Unschoolers in College) Doubts Now that I'm at College
by Peter Kowalke

Having spent time in a community college, a big state university, an Ivy League college, an alternative college and no college ( unschooling), it has come to my attention that knowledge may be acquired via many different paths. Despite gross differences in cost, none are consistently better than the rest; I haven't yet located a place where my intellectual world is rocked on a daily basis. Of course, that doesn't discourage my search for the perfect learning environment, a place where I'm routinely confronted with completely novel, unimagined conclusions.

It's Time for a Change by Kathryn Stout

Frequently, homeschooling moms find themselves looking for relief from a case of the winter blues. My guess is that this seasonal ailment is the simple result of living on adrenaline from our grand beginnings in September through all the extra tasks in November and December. If our children have been especially busy preparing for and participating in holiday performances, they may be suffering from the same fatigue and lack of motivation. No matter what the reason, if you or your kids feel as if you're just 'going through the motions,?' here are a few suggestions that may help:

Identifying Your Sources of Support by Debbie Strayer

Homeschooling is not an easy job. Some days it may even seem like an impossible job. Staying true to our calling to homeschool requires commitment, sacrifice, an abundance of God's grace and support. What do I mean by support? Well, like a good friendship, it doesn't always work exactly the same. One day it may mean encouragement, the next, it may mean just a listening ear, with no advice given. Sometimes support involves assistance; with curriculum choices, a difficult child's behavior problems, or un-supportive or critical family members. Support may mean many different things but one thing is sure, it is something all of us need. It may not be expressed in the same way, but support, or encouragement, is essential for us to walk in the callings that God has given us. As He has called us, He has also encouraged us, for God is our primary source of encouragement. When you feel overwhelmed, or insecure, or even angry, the Lord is always there, ready and willing to listen. Your feelings will not surprise Him, and it may surprise you how quickly you can obtain freedom from the very real feelings of discouragement.

Homeschoolers: College Readiness Checklist by Lynn Scully

Four year schedule checklist:

Do what you love - you will do your best. Do what you love. After all, practice makes perfect, and if you're really good, you can keep on doing what you love your whole life. If you do not have a passion, try many different things. Time is on your side.

Science: Is it just me or is that a really big moon? from Backyard Stargazer
Have you ever watched a summer full moon as it rises over the horizon? Perhaps it's rising over the edge of a hill or framed by a familiar fringe of trees As the last rays of the setting sun fade to a copper glow, you take a second look. The Moon seems huge!

Later that evening, you happen to catch sight of that same full moon, now high in the sky. You glance away, then back. Wait a minute - it's much smaller! How did that happen?

You've just experienced the Moon Illusion, an enigmatic phenomenon that people have been puzzling over for thousands of years. Aristotle was the first to come up with an explanation for it, suggesting that the Earth's atmosphere, acting as a magnifying lens, was the cause of it. In fact, the Earth's atmosphere visually squashes the Moon, which if anything, should make it appear smaller. Then, in 1,000 A.D., an Arabian physicist named Ibn Alhazan suggested that familiar landmarks, such as trees and houses, make the Moon seem large by comparison. After all, we know the Moon is a huge object - it should be enormous, compared to objects on Earth.

From the last issue:

Somebody call 911: Get our kids out of public schools
by Nick Jackson

I write as a public school graduate from Ohio. Ohio was the Key State in the 2004 elections. We are often considered a reflection of the rest of the country. Our political and moral landscape gives a snapshot of what the rest of the country may be experiencing. Sometimes we are affectionately known as "The heart of it all." This article is however not an advertisement for everyone to flock to Ohio but an admonishment and an indictment that our school systems have failed to protect our children. This is also a warning that this brief review of recent incidents in Ohio schools, reflects trends that are happening all around the nation.

ADHD: Are there obvious answers we're overlooking?
by Suzanne H. Stevens

Distractibility and short attention span have always been recognized as components of a Learning Disability. It is in finding creative solutions to their child's problems with attention and hyperactivity that parents have their greatest opportunity to make helpful changes. This is an area where parents can make a big difference. Over the past twenty years, our focus has shifted toward medication and away from other answers. In our determination to find the right medication, do we sometimes overlook the obvious?