Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome
Instilling Hope
There are no expectations in life that are worth taking away a child’s hope. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are foolish endeavors compared to eternal joys, thanksgiving, hope, and charity.
Believe I Can
I felt a lump in my throat as I watched my 8-year-old son slowly stand up. Holding his Bible, he looked at the phrase his Sunday School teacher had written on the whiteboard and asked him to read out loud. She was a good teacher, she just didn’t know that Gabriel had struggled to learn phonics and had only begun to painstakingly sound out words on his own volition several months before. He looked down at his Bible, and then his eyes met mine and filled with tears at the humiliation he was experiencing, surrounded by his peers who couldn’t understand why a child their age couldn’t read as well as them.
Observing the Process
At four years old, my son was letting me know that he was ready to learn how to read.
Homeschool Adventure: Playing Possum
Some years ago, Mike came home from preaching at the prison really riled up. I thought something bad must have gone down with the inmates. After he calmed down Mike told me, “I will never again ride down to the … Read more
Teens Preparing for Responsibility
Wise teens will be constantly preparing for what amounts to survival in this uncertain world.
Lifestyle Homeschooling
My little buddy Jeremiah, now 12 years old, has been by my side most of the week, helping in significant ways. Just yesterday we were cleaning up the shop (he loves to organize things), and his job was sorting the … Read more
From Our Mailbox: Advice from the Oldest Hikers
Dear NGJ, My husband and I have recently returned from a summer-long adventure (May–September) of hiking the Continental Divide Trail. It’s 3,000 miles long, from Mexico to Canada. We were the oldest hikers to finish the trail this year (my … Read more
Part 3- A New Generation: The All or Nothing
I had an epiphany today. A couple of things occurred to me and I thought it would bless other mamas, so I am typing out my thoughts and sharing. Mothers have such huge responsibilities every moment of the day (and … Read more
Part 1- The Purists
The homeschool movement started with what some people call “Purist Trailblazers.” We were visionaries. We were doing the extreme—the unheard of. We would not do as the establishment demanded. We did not share their perspective on normalcy or their worldview, … Read more
