Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

May. 12, 2015

Please Share Your Input: Why Homeschooling Is Worth It

By Luke

Sonlight has an ebook coming out soon titled, "It Was Worth It!" More importantly, we'd love to share your story in it.

Have you been homeschooling for a while (your children graduated or in high school)? Do you have a specific moment when you realized that homeschooling was absolutely worth it? Were there long days when you wondered if the hard work and investment was going to be worth it, and now you're glad you stuck it out? Do you have examples of how homeschooling was good for you -- not just your kids? Is there something you've shared with other homeschoolers to encourage them that what they are doing is worth it?

Yes?

Fantastic.

Please share your 600-1200 word story of how homeschooling has been worth it for you and your family. Email it to worthit@sonlight.com by May 29. That's a very quick turnaround, so if you want to contribute, please write up something now and send it our way. And, yes, if you've already written a blog post about this, feel free to use that as your submission.

Worth It

The details:

600-1200 words
emailed to worthit@sonlight.com
by May 29, 2015
on the topic of "It Was Worth It!"
If your submission is selected, we'll also include a blurb about you, your photo, and a link to your blog or website if you want.
We may also pull quotes from each submission for the ebook or other Sonlight materials.

Questions? Please ask.

I'm looking forward to reading what you found made homeschooling worth it!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

Tagged ebooks, Encouragement, Homeschooling, stories | Leave a comment

May. 7, 2015

An Encouraging Word for Mother's Day

By Sarita

God knew what He was doing when he made you a mother. He knew that you are not perfect, but that you are exactly the right person for this irreplaceable role in your children's lives.

A Sonlight mom reads with her children
Sonlight students Abby and Sarah K enjoy spending time with their fabulous mom, Sennu, as they read together.

God knew that at times, being a mother can be hard. He knew that motherhood would help you realize how much you need His grace and love in your own life. God also knew you would then help show your children the meaning of grace and love in their lives.

We've all discovered by now that being a mom puts our weaknesses in the limelight. Living in daily relationship with little people who need us so much shows us the depth of our selfishness. But just like marriage, parenthood is a refining fire that helps mold us into the women God has called us to be. Every time you get up at night to nurse a baby or comfort a sick child, you practice compassion. When you set aside your own agenda in order to truly listen to your teen, you practice servanthood. When you will yourself to stand up and cook dinner when you'd really love to veg in front of Hulu, you develop strength of character.

And thus, being a mother also reveals your amazing strengths. Who knew you had such a capacity to love these little people God has given you? Have you stopped to consider your astounding ability to organize life and run a household (even though it doesn't look like Pinterest)? And look at all you do as a homeschool teacher: You have a stunning ability to problem solve and find what works for your children. You can teach children to read, do math and read a map. You can go without sleep when you need to. You can make lunch with one hand while you entertain a baby. You can help children discover the God who loves them. You have a true openness to share your life with others. You have opened your heart to the mystery and beauty of raising a family.

So as we approach Mother's Day, I want to celebrate this calling of motherhood that God has given you. He chose you specifically, and I am so grateful that he did. As I look back on my own time at home with my children, I see all the sweat, tears, prayers and joys ... and I say without hesitation that it was all worth it. One day you will look back and say the same.

Thank you for raising the next generation. God is with you in this incredible and blessed task.

Blessings,
Sarita

P.S. If you’re a father reading this, God bless you, too! Being a father is every bit as important, difficult and wonderful as being a mom, and I am truly grateful for your work raising the next generation.

Tagged motherhood | 2 Comments

Apr. 30, 2015

Priceless ...

By Judy

Watching my son's eyes light up when he finally conquered phonics? Priceless. Hearing my daughter heave a sigh of relief when Algebra finally made sense? Priceless. Spending hours reading and learning together, investing in the lives of my kids? Priceless. So many priceless moments fill our homeschool days ... yet we know that all of them do come at a cost. A cost in time, a cost in sleepless nights, a cost in dreams and expectations, and a cost in finances.

Curriculum, like everything else in life comes at a cost. Many of us, at one time or another, have been blessed with loaned textbooks, or have found used literature at a fraction of retail cost. There's a sense of deep satisfaction when you can save money on groceries, children's clothing and yes, even curriculum!

Many bloggers have written about the costs of homeschooling ... and one aspect of that topic that always tends to raise blood pressures is the debate over buying new vs. used. Instead of focusing on that sore spot (disclaimer ... I've bought both used and new), I wanted to share just a couple thoughts on why an investment in new Sonlight materials is worth making a priority.

Our 9 month payment plan promotion is quickly drawing to a close. If ever there is a time when it is most financially feasible to afford Sonlight Curriculum, it is now. Consider ...

As a homeschool parent, your time is valuable. Sonlight has proven a trustworthy source of solid academics and quality materials for 25 years. A one-stop Full Grade Package ensures you receive all that you'll need for a student for one school year, and you won't spend hours/days researching to find all the components you need.
As a homeschool parent, your money is valuable (and hard earned!). There are very few, true money-back guarantees out there. Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee provides true peace of mind when you spend your precious financial resources. And you are buying from a name you know you can trust.
As a homeschool parent, we all worry that we're teaching concepts correctly and not leaving any gaps in our children's education. Our convention representatives and homeschool advisors are Sonlight moms who are passionate about, and well trained in, assisting you with choosing and using our current line of products ... at no extra cost to you. And you have the additional peace of mind that you aren't missing titles that you need, or trying to make an older edition book work.

Some thoughts to review as you finish up this school year and begin planning for the next. Life circumstances do not always allow us to buy new clothes, a new car, or even new homeschool curriculum. But as you plan and pray over your curriculum purchases for the coming year, I hope you will consider some of my musings in your decision making. And I pray that you are abundantly blessed as you invest in the lives of your children.

Still on the journey...
~Judy Wnuk

Tagged guarantee, used curriculum | Leave a comment

Apr. 29, 2015

What Studying History Teaches Us About the Body of Christ

By Luke

I saw a "quiz" on Facebook titled "What is your Quaker name?" Using your birth month and your first name offers to illuminate the answer (hint: your Quaker name is "Friend" + your first name). It made me smile. My wife comes from Quaker roots, so there's even a personal tie-in for me. Today we are part of a Pentecostal church, which is a bit of a shift for her. In college, we attended a private Christian university that mixed many denominations and backgrounds. My family has a similar spread even though we all grew up going to church together.

Greetings, Friend.

My older sister is in town visiting the family. As is typical, we got to talking about the things we've been pondering, reading, learning. We spent a great deal of time discussing the book of Job, the Church's response to sin, and how to "do" ministry. And you know the beautiful part? Because we all have had difference experiences and see things slightly differently, we get to learn from each other.

Really cool.

You get the same from Sonlight's dedication to teaching multiple perspectives. As we read the great books in our homeschool curriculum, we encounter Jewish families, Quakers, Catholics, and missionaries from a wide range of denominations and backgrounds. I grew up seeing how God speaks to and through various traditions and practices. Rather than damaging my faith, I found myself encouraged, strengthened, challenged, and spurred on ...the same way I am when I chat with my family, my friends, and people I meet. I am sharpened, as the Proverb says.

But there's more.

Rather than merely providing personal edification, we gain a greater appreciation for the Body of Christ as a whole. The more we learn about how God has moved and redeemed and blessed and drawn others to Himself, the more humble we can be about our own little corner of Christendom. The Church is bigger than us, but we are a big part of it. And here I think we catch glimpses of what Christ prayed for when He said, "May they be one as We are one."

Part of the global perspective we Sonlighters enjoy is one that spans not just geography but time. As we experience the story of History unfolding before us in each Sonlight program, we gain a slightly better picture of the Body of Christ. We get to see, first hand, the lives of some of the great cloud of witnesses which then encourages us to look toward Jesus and follow after Him.

And Jesus is the part that matters. It's interesting to learn why different groups decide to call each other Brother, or Father, or Friend; but what unites us is Jesus and the fact that we have been blessed to all be part of His Body.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

Tagged Christianity, church, community, faith, history | Leave a comment

Apr. 28, 2015

Working with the Wigglies During Read Aloud Time

By Karla

Did you know it's actually okay not to require your children to "sit still and pay attention" during read aloud time?

My children have always loved to be read to, but after a few minutes they tended to get "the wigglies" when they were very young, especially if I was reading a chapter book to them instead of a picture book.

I learned to work with "the wigglies" instead of against them. Rather than requiring the kids to sit beside me with their hands in their laps, I let them play quietly on the floor.

There were two rules:

They had to be in the same room with me.
They could not talk to each other. Not even whisper because whispering meant they weren't listening. They were, of course, allowed to interrupt the reading to ask questions related to the book.

Attentive Listening Even When They Were in Motion

I was amazed at how much more they seemed to get out of the reading when their hands were busy. I did try to encourage an activity that went along with what we were reading, when possible, but more often than not they would find something of their own choosing.

Here's a list of the kinds of things my kids did or played with during read-aloud time over the years.

coloring—sometimes I found coloring sheets to go along with what we were learning about
drawing—again, could tie in with the topic
LEGO—even this could sometimes tie in... One of our favorite projects was building an Egyptian pyramid with Legos.
other construction-type toys—K'nex, Lincoln Logs, etc.
play dough
jigsaw puzzles—historical scenes when possible
small toys—Matchbox cars, doll-house people
kid-friendly craft projects—friendship bracelets, beads, scrapbooking
handiwork—as the girls have gotten older they enjoy crocheting, knitting, and embroidery
solitaire (with a deck of cards) or other single-player games
handwriting practice

What do your kids like to do during read aloud time to keep their hands busy while they listen? Can you add to my list?

Tagged hands on, kinesthetic, read-alouds, reading, reading aloud | 1 Comment

Apr. 22, 2015

Homeschooling Gives You Choices

By Luke

I had just graduated college, was starting a film production company, my wedding was in a month or two, and I needed to find a house in which to live. I tend to jump in with both feet. I found a real estate agent happy to show me places. He dragged me around the city for a day, and by the end I was frustrated. What do I know about buying a house? Nothing!

I find I'm frequently paralyzed by big decisions. Prime example: Which video camera should I invest in? Even after months of significant research, I was literally sweating as I stood in the store about to hand over my credit card. Why? Not only did this purchase determine my future, but it also cost a lot.

Homeschooling can be feel the same way. This is a big decision. It determines the future for your children and it's not free.

The good news, for me, is that my first video camera purchase was one of the best investments I've ever made. I used that camera to produce all of the Discover & Do and MathTacular DVDs as well as many of my college film projects. And the house I ended up buying is perfect -- aside from significant plumbing issues <sigh>.

I believe your choice to homeschool and the curriculum you invest in will prove equally beneficial.

At the same time, I want to dispel a lie you and I believe. This choice, the one before us now, does not determine the future. The house you buy will impact you today and the foreseeable years to come, but then you may move. The cameras I've invested in have all become outdated and eventually need to be replaced. The college I attended helped shape who am I, but it did not determine where I am today. My production company didn't work out. And even my wife, to whom I am bound until death parts us, is not a static person; she and I are both growing and changing ... making opportunity for more choices.

And that's the beauty of homeschooling as well.

Homeschooling gives you choices. But rather than big, scary, petrifying decisions that determine the future, homeschooling offers you regular opportunities to tweak, correct, improve what you do.

The opposite options -- having your children educated elsewhere -- do not give you such opportunity. The best you have, should you decide a change would be beneficial in those cases, is to quit the public or private school and switch to something else. That is a far bigger choice, yet oddly one many parents make without so much as a second thought.

Homeschooling is better.

Choices

Here you can choose to switch to a easier or more advanced course as needed, change the math instruction, beef up your spelling practice, or give your student time to learn how to read. The decision you make today does not determine what you do in the future. You can make your school match your students, not the other way around.

The big choice to homeschool is one that offers opportunity, flexibility, and a chance to refine your choices in the future. Instead of fear, may the choices you have in homeschooling encourage you. I wanted to expand on this idea after reading Heather Sander's Get Rid of Your Homeschooling Doubts Once and for All. She says, "Failure may happen once, but it isn't a life-altering kind of failure. It's a singular failure that can easily be remedied."

You have the opportunity to make choices and fix problems. Your investment in your child's education turns every "failure" into a chance to help them succeed.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

P.S. Feeling overwhelmed by all the choices you have? Please chat with a Sonlight Homeschool Advisor. These homeschool moms will be able to help you weigh options, answer your questions, and find the materials and tweaks that will help your children as they follow their path toward the future.

Tagged choice, choosing, decisions, homeschool, success | Leave a comment

Apr. 21, 2015

Guaranteed

By Jonelle

Sometimes a business will offer a very nice guarantee. We at Sonlight have tried to take all the fear out of homeschooling with us by giving you a fantastic guarantee.

But something we can't guarantee is the end result: where your children will end up, the path they will follow, their walk with the Lord.

As my children, though still young, continue to exercise their independence, I am reminded more and more that, while they are my arrows from my quiver, I am not walking them to the target, but releasing them on their journey.

My husband and I are doing our best to point them in the direction they should go. We pray for them, with them, answer their questions, and generally are doing our very best to make sure they see the value of walking with the Lord. But eventually, they will make that choice for themselves. We will have to release them. Just like my parents had to do for my siblings and me. At a certain point we were out of their grasp and they are watching us shoot forward, buffeted by the winds of life as we fly toward the finish line.

How scary. How thrilling. What a hold-your-breath, where-will-they-end-up, adventure God asks us to be on in regards to our children.

But friend: be free. At a point, the journey is up to our children and their walk with God.

Be Free

My own parents, if they could have seen the future, would they have sought to protect me from the pain I've lived through? Would they have tried to protect me from foolish choices I've made? And if they had been able, who would I be today?

This past week I was grieving for my 6 year old, who now, 5 years later, still bears the scars of her sister's death. Dave and I have gone through many times of healing. But how does one heal a pain that is almost unknown? I was talking with my sister and I said, "I'm so sad we couldn't protect her..."

But wait.

I am confident of God's plan for our family in our daughter's death. And while I don't understand it, I am sure of God's hand, of His will being done.

So, would I protect her from God's will, from the journey He has her on? While I often don't understand her journey either, God has her on it and is with her. I believe He has not abandoned her and is not surprised by what she is going through.

So friend, I hope that whatever stage you are in with your children, you will be encouraged and freed from any burden that you should somehow be able to guarantee that your children will always make the right decisions and will always follow hard after God. Aren't we grateful that we serve a God who tells us that he welcomes those who wander?

As always, if you have any need that you would like us to pray for, as a staff we gather daily to pray for our customers. Please, let us know if we can be praying for your children, for your spouse, or for you. If you are walking through a time when it seems as though the arrow will miss the target completely, we would be honored to walk with you through that.

Blessings,
Jonelle

Tagged children, choice, freedom | Leave a comment

Please Share Your Input: Why Homeschooling Is Worth It

An Encouraging Word for Mother's Day

Priceless ...

What Studying History Teaches Us About the Body of Christ

Working with the Wigglies During Read Aloud Time

Attentive Listening Even When They Were in Motion

Homeschooling Gives You Choices

Guaranteed

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