I homeschooled my three children for many years and I learned very quickly that the job of homeschool teacher requires planning. Resources were tight for my family as I chose to focus solely on educating our children leaving my steady income behind. This BLOG post is dedicated to sharing some of the resources and tools that I used AND tips to make your homeschooling journey successful.

There are many resources available on Teachers Pay Teachers for free or low cost and the BEST thing about them is almost all of them are available instantly just by downloading them and printing. I am embarrassed to say that on occasion I did not plan for the next day's learning as well as I could have. Some days, our main learning event (like a co-op or class) was cancelled. Teachers Pay Teachers really helped me to have a successful day of learning anyway! There are so many resources available. Just type your grade level and subject in the search area and a plethora of resources will magically appear!

Integrate learning into your daily chores and habits. Baking a cake can be a lesson in fractions. Exploring nature can be a science lesson. Going to the library is language arts. I was a public school teacher for many years. The actual learning time in one day is much less than eight hours. Additionally, children in regular school do not have a private teacher that hones in on their individual learning styles and educational levels. YOU are giving your children a customized learning experience that is designed specifically to their needs! It SHOULD not look like a regular classroom.​

I hope these ideas have helped you on your homeschool journey.  Remember to browse and download the curriculum I developed for my children so that our homeschool day was a fun, memorable, learning experience. Comment below with your questions about homeschooling!

Fall is a great time of the year for fun, themed activities. There are so many ways your children can explore the world around them through play! Here are a few crafts and activities to get you started. Be sure to read my book, Scary Halloween Costumes , as a part of the learning experience to keep the fun going!

I hope you enjoy these fun activity ideas with the children in your life and be sure to include reading my book Scary Halloween Costumes to keep the fun going! Integrating literacy into your child's day as a part of activities is a great way for them to develop a love of READING!

Parents often ask, "How do I teach my child to be more empathetic?" This question comes up frequently as our toddlers start to play with other children and battles over toys occur. Understanding your child's developmental stage will help you determine the correct strategy for the development of empathy and finding the age appropriate solution to early childhood behavioral issues.

What can parents do to support TRUST?
Be there for your child when they cry. Milk spoils, babies don't. Babies never cry to be 'spoiled'. They cry because they have a basic need that has to be addressed. Protect and shelter them from dangers and when they are uncomfortable or hurt, care for them.  Never sneak away to leave them with a care-giver this develops mistrust and will cause bigger problems later. 

What can parents do to support autonomy?
These are some of the most challenging years of childhood development for some parents. We know we can do the dressing and the meals more efficiently than toddlers, but if we can muster the patience to allow them to complete these tasks on their own, not only will they be better prepared for school, but they will be more confident children. So, let them choose their mismatched clothes and get 3/4 of the food on the table and floor as they move through this stage. It's okay, we understand! Reading books about children who struggle with behavior and succeed is a great way to start conversations.

What can parents do to support their young children socially?
Role play helps children practice social interaction and experiment with other perspectives. By pretending to be different characters like a doctor or a teacher, children begin to understand the feelings and view points of others, which contributes to the development of empathy.  Reading books about playing and interacting with others is a great way to start the conversation about social interactions.

Empathy is a skill that is developed over time for young children. During the earliest stages of life, children begin to develop the skills necessary to be empathetic toward others. Here are two books that help children learn social-emotional skills by just reading a great story!

Parents worry about short attention spans and reading struggles. The good news is, kids don’t need long lessons to get the skills they need for literacy success. Short, hands-on lessons can offer the practice children need to learn.  In this post, you’ll learn what micro-learning is, why it’s effective, and easy ways to use it at home or school.

Changing the timing and pace for learning experiences for children is the key to keeping up with changing learning styles of children. Micro-lessons are perfect for adapting to children's needs and maintaining the authenticity of skill development. Download all of my print and play lessons today!

Halloween can be a fun time of the year for everyone, if we understand how to meet young children at their developmental level.  Haunted houses, dark and bloody ghouls, and ominous lighting can trigger young children. Let's delve deeper to understand their fear and make Halloween fun for everyone.

Comment below with your favorite child-friendly Halloween activity.