The phrase, “sharpen the saw” appeared in a best-selling book written over twenty years ago by Stephen Covey. His book was titled, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It summarized seven practices or principles that if implemented, would generally yield healthier relationships. My library is filled with these kinds of books but to be…
I’ve been listening to a podcaster I really like. His name is Jocko Willink. He’s a decorated retired Navy Seal officer. He’s intense. (His podcast does contain some occasional “R rated” moments.) Seeing the picture of him and his co-host on his homepage makes it clear: you want him on your side. His most recent book,…
I’m not sure what to make of the slogan, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” I haven’t heard it in a long time- maybe its popularity has waned or I’m just not listening. I get that this Friday marks the beginning of Advent, the coming of Jesus in the church year. Still, I have…
I remember hearing a parent say something like, “You’re 18, and now you’re on your own. You’re an adult.” What the parent didn’t say, but implied, was “Now, I’m finally done; I’m free.” And yes, this was spoken by a one-time home school parent. Maybe spoken in frustration or during a time of stress, I…
I can still remember it. “Back in the day,” my teacher was in the front doing his part, talking. I was doing my part, day-dreaming. I wasn’t invested in what was going on. My grade point average in middle school hovered around a D+. I didn’t care. It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s…
How do your children feel when asked to do something they’ve never done before? How do you feel for that matter? What if you’re asked to do something you’ve never done before in front of an audience? Of course, it depends on what we’re being asked to do. Our thinking may range from “You’ve…
If you were asked, “What will you teach this morning,” you might answer something like, “Math, spelling, vocabulary, penmanship, and reading. That answer is a start, but math, spelling, vocabulary, penmanship are simply content areas. What specifically are you going to teach this morning? In other words, what part of the above content are you…
Want to increase the likelihood that your homeschooling efforts will be successful this year? Be accountable. Being accountable means making your plans and goals known to someone you trust and who is supportive of you as a homeschooler. Think about it. When you want to reach financial goals, you see a financial planner who will…
Below is some helpful advice from one of my favorite authors, Chad Bird. I think it’s timely as we begin a new year of home schooling. He writes, One of the best gifts we can give our children is to stop trying to be perfect parents. Don’t set out to be a hero to your…
. . .exclusively. Just because the word Christian appears in the title of a textbook, you have no guarantee that the content is educationally sound or developmentally appropriate. It’s not a guarantee that the textbook follows a proven teaching method, or that the lessons are sequenced correctly. I’ve evaluated text books from “Christian” publishers in…