Homeschooling is a nurturing environment rich with opportunity.
The homeschooling parent has many opportunities for one-on-one interaction with her child. Making the most of these opportunities make it possible to develop an intimate knowledge of the child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. This gives the parent great flexibility in tailoring each child’s work to that child’s particular needs.

This one-on-one time also has pay-offs for the family itself: strengthening bonds, developing intimacy and nurturing deep relationships. Due to this intimacy, the parent has a unique advantage compared to the best of trained teachers. No one can possibly know a child like his parents. This intimate knowledge is the most solid foundation possible for guiding a child’s education. Parents also have a deep investment in their child’s success. Homeschool parents can develop a broader sense of what a child’s “success” means, way beyond the scope of standardized test scores.

A homeschool parent will search further for alternative strategies, experiment when current strategies are failing and persevere through difficult times. Realistically, no school and no teacher will ever have that level of commitment to a child.

Homeschooling offers great flexibility in making changes to the learning environment.
Move to a comfortable room to work with the child or turn the t.v. captioning on. There are no parent-teacher meetings, monitoring or budget battles.

While it does take some planning, the homeschool parent can also customize the curriculum. There is much greater flexibility when incorporating field trips, outings and hands-on work than is possible in a school setting. A customized curriculum might mean working on 4th grade math and 6th grade reading and college level science experiments, or it might mean significant use of hands-on activities. The parent has many choices that are simply not available within school structures.

This advantage is inherent in the nature of homeschooling, but still worth pointing out. The child will never be left “behind” the other students, nor will he have to sit through boring reviews of material he understands well.

Homeschooling saves time
There is no commute time transporting children to and from school, no evening homework time, no parent-teacher meetings or PTA events and no time spent stressing over the deficiencies of educational services provided.

A wide variety of social opportunities are also open to homeschoolers. They have the chance each day, to interact with people of all ages in a variety of settings. Homeschoolers, through local homeschool groups, also have the opportunity to develop long-lasting, intimate friendships.

How much of an advantage homeschooling has depends upon the family’s level of involvement with the local public school system. If significant services are being provided, then, obviously, there will be much more interaction with the school system. For the most part, however, there will not be struggles over appropriate goals, issues over implementation of the IEP, monitoring to ensure services are being provided, etc.

The communication method that the family chooses to use will be the communication method used with no argument, no battle, no struggle. Deciding to homeschool your children is no easy task and should be taken seriously. But there are some compelling reasons to consider homeschooling, so take a look and decide for yourself.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see http://www.homeschoolingeasy.com.

Buy the Book: So Why Do You Homeschool

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Author: Peg Baron
When the weather is nice, the kids (and Mom) are itching to get outside and play. I personally like the playing to learn approach. Did you know there’s an outdoor world of math and reading fun that awaits you and all you need is sidewalk chalk, dice, and your imagination? Anything we can do inside on paper can be done outside on the driveway or sidewalk, as long as we don’t care if it eventually gets “erased” by rain or sprinklers. Not only do the kids and I get to exercise our brains but we also get to exercise our bodies. I get to stretch my hamstrings and quads as I bend over to draw game boards or numbers, and the kids get to hop, skip, and jump around. Here are a few favorite sidewalk games I’d like to share. You can adapt any of them to the abilities of your children, and multiple ages can play
together.

Numbered Ladder Game
Draw a long, long ladder with at least 25 rungs, each rung big enough for a kid to stand in. Number each rung starting with 1 and going to 25. You also need a dice.

Rules - Grown-up throws the dice and the child hops up that many spaces on the ladder. If they land on an even number, they have to go back 1 space. Continue on until you have a winner.

Multiplication Ladder

Use the same ladder as above.
Rules - The child rolls 2 dice and multiplies the 2 numbers together.
He/she then totally covers in the answer square with chalk (their choice of color.) They continue until they’ve covered every square they possibly can, and then discuss why there are squares that won’t ever be covered.

Division Ladder

Again, use the same ladder as above.
Rules - Hand the chalk to your child and ask them to put a yellow triangle around any numbers that can be divided by 2. Next have them put a blue circle around any numbers that can be divided by 5, a pink square around any numbers that can be divided by 10, etc.

Numbers Bingo

Draw out as many bingo boards as there are kids and put a number
in each square. The kids can collect a pile of rocks or something for markers. Rules - Depending on the skill level, yell out an addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problem for them to solve. They then cover the answer with a rock. The one who gets bingo is the winner. You can change the mathematic function with each game.

“Over the years, the hours that children spend playing outside can pay off when it comes to physical, intellectual and social development. Yet, such valuable interaction is fleeting these days. From 1997 to 2003, there was a 50% drop in kids who participated in outdoor activities such as hiking, walking and fishing, according to a University of Maryland study.” Mother Nature; Raising Healthier Kids - Usaweekend.com

The Reading Trail

Draw a trail of boxes and arrows down the sidewalk. Draw a box, then arrows directing them to the next box, about 10 feet away, and so on. At the end could be a beautiful drawing, if you’re artistically inclined, or a small prize, or a hug from you. In each box, depending on your child’s reading level, write a single word or a sentence. Rules - Your child starts at the beginning and moved on when he/she reads the word or sentence.

Reading Obstacle Course

Set up an obstacle course with a sentence or word chalked between each obstacle. For example; sentence, zig zag around cones, sentence, jump through the hula hoop, sentence, balance walk on a length of string, sentence, jump over the blue “river” chalked on the ground. If you want, all your obstacles can be drawn on the sidewalk instead of using real items.
Rules - Read the sentence and go through the obstacle!

Color Me

Are you currently working on body parts, the circulatory system, or the heart? Let the kids chalk it out while narrating what they know. Themes like communities, animal lifecycles, wildlife, nature, your family tree, etc. are fun to draw out. Younger kids can work on color recognition.

The Alphabet Board

Make a giant game board with 25 squares. Put a letter of the alphabet on each square in random order, excluding the letter “x”.

Rules - Each kid has to start at the beginning and take each square one at a time. They have to come up with 5 words that start with that letter/sound before they can move on. To make it harder for the older ones, ask them to also come up with a word or two that end with that letter.

As you can see, it’s fun to learn with a stick of sidewalk chalk in your hand. I hope these games get you outside and get your imagination working as you tweak them to fit your needs. Have a great time and may the rain stay far away from your creations!

“After tens of thousands of years of children playing and working primarily outdoors, the last few generations have seen such interaction with nature vanish almost entirely. The implications — for children’s physical and mental health, and for the future of environmentalism — are immense.” Grist.org

Buy: Double Color Sidewalk Chalk Bucket

About the author:
Peggy Baron plays with her kids in Colorado, and runs
http://cookinkids.com/, a website devoted to helping parents and kids have fun together in the kitchen. Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin’ Kids Newsletter, a bi-monthly newsletter with fun facts, recipes, jokes, games, cooking safety, and cooking terms wrapped around different themes.

As you are planning your next vacation do you get sticker shock from the cost of accommodations, airfare and meals? Are you tired of the usual resort or theme-park destinations where you are passively entertained (and constantly opening your wallet)? Are you searching for a vacation that will be relaxing for you and an unforgettable experience for the kids? Do you want to be at a place that is real and not manufactured? What you need is a good old-fashioned farm vacation.

Staying at a farm - even if you just stay a weekend - is an experience your family will never forget. If you have kids, it is a chance for them to experience firsthand where food comes from and even help with farm chores, such as feeding baby lambs and collecting eggs. It a way out of the hustle and bustle of modern life; it is a retreat that brings you and your family back to America’s farm roots and a calmer, simpler way of life.

Farm vacations are not new. In fact, 50 years ago city dwellers who needed a break would call their country cousins for a respite from urban life. However, today, with less than 2% of the U.S. population now living on working farms, finding a relative with a farm is unlikely for most people. But now more than ever — with the frenetic pace of suburban & urban life at full tilt — we all desperately need a vacation “away from it all.”

Luckily there still many farmers who, in addition to farming, love to play host to their urban “cousins.” These farmers are part of an ever-growing trend of agri-tourism. According to a recent article in the Boston Globe the farm vacation is increasingly becoming a popular getaway among suburban families. This trend is being fueled by a surging interest in environmentally-conscious tourism and the increased enthusiasm for local organic food among suburbanites and urban dwellers - who rightly believe that children ought to know and understand where food comes from.

What’s it like to stay on a farm? Imagine for a moment waking to the sound of the rooster crowing and chickens clucking. How about rolling out of bed and collecting fresh eggs with your kids for your breakfast? You can then stroll around the farm, go fishing, milk a cow, sip lemonade on the rocking chair on the porch, feed a baby lamb out of a bottle, or go for a hayride. The pace and pressures of everyday life slip away.

This is a place you can really “let go” on vacation, participate in some real down-to-earth activities, eat wholesome home-grown and cooked meals, and probably have the best sleep you’ve had in years. Many parents who have taken a farm vacation report that it is more relaxing than a traditional vacation (such as at a Club Med or Disney World), plus farm vacations promote simpler values they want to instill in their children - like hard work and respect for nature.

A farm vacation is not only relaxing, but it is a true bargain. The average middle income American family spends hundreds of dollars annually in its two weeks’ pursuit of fun and relaxation. You probably lay out even more money on camping equipment, special vehicles, boats, motorcycles, gasoline, motels, restaurants, camping fees, portable TVs, movies, liquor, repair bills and more. Sometimes you need a vacation after your vacation to recover from the stress of spending all that money and not really having a relaxing time.

Your farm vacation helps not only your family, but small family farms. Taking a farm vacation not only benefits you and your family - but farmers as well. For farmers - the influx of guests who are willing to pay for lodging and the “farm experience” is becoming vital to their economic survival and preserving the rural landscape. In fact, farms who include some kind of “agri-tourism” (such as farm stays) are managing to stay afloat and even thrive.

With many independent farms on the verge of extinction, cash-strapped farmers are finding a good stream of income hosting urban/suburban guests…who actually want to milk their cows and gather eggs!

So this season, instead of taking your usual vacation, pack your bags, your muck boots, and your sense of adventure and head for the nearest farm. It will be an experience you and your kids will be talking about for years to come.

By Marcia Passos Duffy
About the author:Marcia Passos Duffy is the author of the e-book, “Farm Stays: Northern New England. Your Guide to an Unforgettable Farm Vacation” to order your copy visit http://www.booklocker.com/books/2514.html. Marcia is also the publisher of the free online magazine, The Heart of New England www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com. Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/mindgutter/452252783/

Buy the Book: Farm Stays

Are you currently pregnant and discouraged about getting back into shape after having your baby? Or maybe you’re a new Mom who is exhausted and getting to the gym is the last thing on your mind! Either way, I hope the following tips help you lose that baby weight.

I don’t have any fancy initials behind my name, I’m just a Mom of 4 kids. I’ve been able to get into my favorite Gap jeans fairly quickly after my babies, and I’ve observed that women who do the same have a few things in common. Here are my tips for losing the weight postpartum:

1) Don’t use pregnancy as an excuse to binge.
Pregnancy is the time to get strict about nutrition. Eating junk food will produce a small baby and a big Momma. Make your pregnancy a time to turn over a new leaf if you are a junk food junkie. You’ll be developing habits that will serve you well as you teach your children about nutrition.

At the same time, don’t obsess about weight gain. I gained between 35-50 pounds for each of my pregnancies, and still didn’t have trouble getting back into my old clothes within a few months postpartum. Focus on good nutrition, stay as active as you can, and you won’t go wrong.

2) Breastfeed your baby.
Breastfeeding burns around 500-700 calories a day. Wow- that’s not bad for sitting around relaxing on the couch! Your body puts on 9 pounds during your pregnancy specifically for the purpose of lactation. The extra weight is laid down on your thighs to make sure you will have enough fat to burn to make milk for baby. Call it “famine insurance” if you will. If you don’t breastfeed, guess what? That 9 pounds stays.

Several studies show that nursing Moms return to their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly. Nursing also helps your uterus contract back to its pre-pregnancy size faster. Plus you’ll have a nicer décolletage to boot!

3) Talk a walk every day
Walking is probably the perfect exercise for new Moms. It’s not stressful on your joints (which are still loosey-goosey from the pregnancy hormones for a while after you give birth). It’s free and doesn’t require a babysitter or any special equipment. It gets you out in the sun, which helps regulates your sleep/wake cycle, causing you and baby to sleep better at night and possibly helping prevent postpartum depression. And you can do it with a friend. If you’re sleep deprived and can’t bear the thoughts of exercise, call up a buddy and make a date with her to walk several mornings a week. Then you can treat yourselves to Starbucks and gossip afterwards.

4) “Wear” your baby
In addition to the many other benefits, using a baby sling or other soft cloth carrier and wearing your baby will burn lots of calories during the day as you do your household chores or care for other children. It also makes it easier for you to be active. You’ll be less tempted to sit around. Throwing on a sling and sitting baby inside it is much easier than lugging out and setting up a heavy stroller.

5) Curb those cravings
Postpartum Moms have cravings for several reasons. One is because serotonin levels are dropping, leading to cravings for sugar. Substitute snacking with another, health producing activity, like getting together with your buddy and going for a walk.

Another cause of cravings may be low blood sugar due to inadequate nutrition (eating too infrequently or eating too much refined sugar). Keep your blood sugar in control by eating frequent small meals that are balanced in nutrients. Keep snacks handy that you can grab quickly before you feed the baby. You need fats, protein and complex carbohydrates. Things like dried fruit and nuts, granola, full fat yogurt (buy the plain kind and mix in all-fruit jelly. Most yogurt has way too much sugar otherwise), kefir, vegetables sliced ahead of time and served with dips, hummus, whole grain pita bread, fruit smoothies, etc will keep your blood sugar constant and provide good nutrition. And keep taking your prenatal multivitamin to help prevent deficiencies that may cause cravings.

6) Avoid excessive caffeine

Drinking too much caffeine leads to insulin surges which cause your blood sugar to drop. When this happens most people head straight for the refined carbs to quicky bring their blood sugar back up. That’s no good.

7) Get enough rest

Easier said than done for a new Mom, to be sure! But if at all possible, nap with your baby. When you are terribly sleep deprived, you tend to gain weight. Consider bringing baby to bed with you if you are nursing. You will sleep better, baby will sleep better, and Daddy will sleep better (making it more likely that he will take baby for a walk and let you nap some afternoons!). Women all over the world have been doing it for thousands of years. As long as you are not morbidly obese, using sleeping pills or inebriated, cosleeping is safe.

Focus on good nutrition

This is also a challenge for a new, stressed out Mom. Check out books like “The One Armed Cook” for ideas on how to prepare healthy meals with a baby in arms. Visit a La Leche League meeting and ask other Moms how they manage to eat well with kids in the kitchen. Some Moms who were former junk food junkies have done well with the following technique. Before feeding themselves a particular food, they ask: “Would I feed this to my baby?” If the answer is no, they don’t eat it.

9) And lastly, give it time

Be realistic- don’t expect yourself to be back into your favorite jeans within a few weeks of delivery. In the meantime, appreciate your new, womanly curves (especially the cleavage that breastfeeding gives you!). I noticed that my clothing style changes somewhat after I have a baby. My normal tailored, classic look gives way to a soft, feminine style that flatters my postpartum body more.

Rejoice in your body that can do such awesome things as give birth and nourish a new life! Likely, your partner is much more forgiving of your changing body than you are. Just the other day as I was feeling embarrassed about my still stretched-out postpartum belly, my husband commented on how sexy my belly was, “because that’s where my babies grew”.

Enjoy your new baby!

Author: Carrie Lauth
For more articles for Moms who want to take care of their health naturally, visit http://www.NaturalMomsHealth.com/. For free whole food recipes each month, sign up for the newsletter at http://www.NaturalMomsRecipes.com

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