Sometimes in life, you learn something that you weren’t really trying to learn.

That would be me . . . senior year of college. I majored in economics until we had our first child mid-year, six weeks early. Then I just majored in mommy-hood and making sure I graduated. I ended up in an Adolescent Psychology class because it fit my mommy-schedule.

Have you ever opened a drawer at your child's desk, only to find it was full of jumbled worktext pages from multiple subjects? Or, like me, do you have several children calling at the same time for help locating handouts? Take heart! You're like a lot of other homeschool moms, including me. This simple system may be a big help for you. After ten years of homeschooling, the hanging file system is standing the test of our busy students. I use the hanging files to organize our student handouts, reproducible pages, completed student handouts, worktext, and test pages.

Homeschooling brought me great joy over the years. It was a great bonding experience with my sons. I got to watch them grow both spiritually and academically. However, there were times when I struggled and wanted to throw in the towel. These tips helped me along the way to stay the course and finish strong. My prayer is that they will help you as well.

Ever since the Lord called me to this mission field called homeschooling, I’ve known that even if it was difficult, it was what we would do. There were days in my early years of homeschooling that I really didn’t know how I would give my children the education that my husband and I wanted to give them. I found that I could either be an intentional mom and homemaker or a great teacher for my children. I would go through seasons of doing one or the other really well, while my other responsibilities suffered. It was so discouraging. I wish I had known about Distance Learning video classes from the start.

With Independence Day approaching, we look for exuberant and meaningful ways to celebrate. After all, this day holds great significance in the history of our country!

As I make celebration preparations for July 4th, I reflect upon a few notions in an effort to make Independence Day more purposeful and meaningful yet filled with excitement, wonder, and cheer. These notions involve patriotism, history, and science.

After reviewing these notions, keep reading for 15 fun ideas to help your children understand the depth, breadth, and meaning behind Independence Day. I guarantee you will celebrate with more fervor than ever before!

When I first started homeschooling in Pennsylvania, no one had anything good to say about our state homeschool laws; everyone talked about how hard it was! At first, I was really discouraged because we had just moved here. How was I going to handle all that they required? A portfolio? Evaluation? HELP!! It seemed like so much work just to prove to the state that I was giving my children an appropriate education. First of all, the portfolio isn't as scary as it seems. Actually, it can be quite fun, and my children enjoy looking back through it. You are required to show the child’s progress throughout the year in each subject. I love that BJU Press Homeschool Distance Learning gives you everything you need. Let me walk you through some of what is required.

Today, more than at any other time, there is a push to live simply – to live tiny, to minimize, to “KonMari” our lives. This philosophy states that by eliminating distraction, eradicating things that are superfluous, excavating anything that does not bring us joy, we can live more abundant lives. And there is a truth in this philosophy which probably accounts for why it is so popular today. So how can that simple living be applied to homeschooling?

Life is busy, especially for a homeschool mom. This post will give you some insider information on how to make the ordering process with a Homeworks by Precept Consultant quick and easy.

I will never forget when my husband asked me if we should do a standardized test for our kids. His question sent shock waves through me as it brought forth all sorts of anxiety about how well I was teaching our children. Yes, I knew we were learning and making progress, but I was scared. The doubts poured in. Were we on grade level? Were there gaping holes? Had I selected the right curriculum? Was I doing enough? Was I doing too much? Even though my children would be taking the tests, I felt that their scores would really be a reflection of how I was doing. Does any of this sound familiar?

Sharon Huizinga lives in Michigan with Tom, her husband of 13 years, and their four children. They both grew up in Connecticut, met at church, and got to know each other better in college at Western Connecticut State University. Sharon graduated with her bachelor’s degree just a few weeks before she and Tom married in 2006. She went on to teach second, fourth and fifth grades in Christian schools.