Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

Jan. 19, 2018

The Surprising Ways Homeschooling Can Bully-proof Your Kids

By Sarita

A few people may tell you bullying is just a rite of passage to toughen kids up. The jock, the nerd, the popular crowd, the bully ... the stereotypes of school scenes are so familiar to us, it can be easy to overlook the long term effects of bullying on mental health. According to this study, kids who are bullied are more likely to experience problems with depression later in life, and one study even cited negative effects that surpassed those who experienced domestic abuse. And yet, almost one in three children experience bullying on a regular basis. What's a parent to do?

Will homeschooling prevent bullying?

Many parents initially choose homeschooling to remove their children from a bullying situation and, of course, there is much value in helping a child exit a negative environment. However, I think we should be careful not to fall into the ditch on the other side of the road and assume that because we homeschool our children, we can totally protect them from every pain and conflict life may offer. We live in a fallen world. It's likely our kids, homeschooled or not, will meet up with injustice at some point in their lives, whether that's on the playground or in the workplace.

So if we can't guarantee a perfect bubble for our kids, what's the point in bringing them home? Just how does homeschooling help our kids with bullying? I believe the answer lies less in what situations we remove them from and more in what we instill into their lives.

True confidence shatters a bully's power.

I believe one of the greatest gifts of homeschooling is that we get to be the primary voice in our children's lives .

If someone is going to spend seven hours a day giving your child messages about who they are and what's important, who would you prefer that to be? I'll never regret a moment John and I invested in our children.

When a child develops a healthy sense of worth and identity, their basic beliefs about themselves are not subject to the whims of their peers. We can help give them a resilience that comes from knowing who they are. We can train them to be the kind of outward-looking people who help and praise others and can stand up to tyranny in all its forms with love and courage.

In The Hundred Dresses, one of the main characters has just come through a long season of serving as a bystander while her friends bullied a fellow classmate. Near the end of the book Maddie "reached an important conclusion: she was never going to stand by and say nothing again."

As we read great literature and imbue confidence in our kids to do what's right, we can raise children who not only know how to deflect bullies, but who have the courage to stand up to them in love.

Four keys to home-grown confidence

We have an opportunity in our homeschool each day to do four things to give our children real confidence (the kind that denies bullies power):

1. Speak life into your kids

When the whispers of "the mean girls" are what your child hears day in and day out, those voices can be so loud it's hard to hear the message of truth. You have an opportunity to create a safe place where life-giving words are spoken each day. In our family, we had a rule: "No put downs." This rule was in place even for children who came into our home for playdates and I honestly think even the visitors felt a sense of relief that we were all committed to build one another up.

2. Help them see themselves as God sees them

When we are speaking life into our kids, we don't want to offer flattery, but truth. As we walk our children through Scripture, we help them gain an appropriate sense of self. We help them see their immense value in Him, and yet recognize that the only good in us is not our own, but a gift from God and a result of His grace.

3. Create a strong family identity

Creating a strong family identity is one of the key components of healthy families. It gives kids an important sense of belonging. The bonds we form as a family make a peer group's opinion slightly less weighty. When kids have a strong attachment to parents and siblings and can identify with their family as a team ("This is what we Holzmanns do."), they are much less likely to feel their lives depend on their peer group's approval. Homeschooling gives us wonderful opportunities for establishing this closeness and deepening our family traditions.

4. Give them skills

Learning to perform certain skills well and then receiving positive feedback on that work is a huge confidence builder. I encouraged each of our children to learn to swim well, play an instrument, and practice judo. Unlike empty praise or a participation trophy for showing up, these skill-building activities helped our kids to enjoy real accomplishment. As homeschooling families, we can help our children identify their gifts and develop tangible skills that will grow their confidence by leaps and bounds. Whether that is playing in a band or encouraging others, we can help our children tap into the strengths God has gifted them.

Tagged anti-bullying, bullying, Homeschooling | 2 Comments

Jan. 15, 2018

Four Things Not to Do When Your Homeschool Hits a Snag

By Sarita

A fresh start is a wonderful feeling. I enjoy thinking about goals and new habits at the beginning of a new year. But what happens when you're halfway through the year and you feel like you are behind, or something is just not working?

When you hit a homeschool snag, it's a great time to evaluate where you are, give yourself some grace, and think about anything you might want to adjust for the second half of the year. If something didn't work for you, it's not a fail, it's a step in the process of learning to meet your kids' needs.

When I first started homeschooling, we were about two years in when my children took standardized tests. I was pleased that the kids did really well and were obviously learning, but I discovered they were all terrible spellers! (I had thought they might just naturally absorb good spelling through our phonics studies.) Rather than get discouraged, I took note that we needed to add formal spelling instruction, and we moved forward. They all spell just fine now!

So when you hit a snag in your homeschool, here are four things not to do.

1. Don't Panic

It's highly probable that this homeschool snag is something you can solve with a practical solution. It's also possible it's simply a temporary season, or even less of a big deal than it seems right now.

If it is a big deal, panic won't help anyway. Your children need to feel secure that you are enjoying the learning process with them and that you have confidence that they can learn. Stay calm; you will get there!

It's usually helpful to do research, find out more about what's common for your child's developmental age, tap into different approaches to learning styles, and talk to parents who have raised a variety of personalities over the years.

Remember, this is your homeschool, and for the most part, you don't have to succumb to outside pressures when it comes to doing what is best for your child. Stay flexible. Look for ways to make learning happen and let the timelines take a back seat if needed.

2. Don't Take it Personally

The worst thing you can do is to take something your child is struggling with and make it a symbol of personal failure. Just because your child doesn't automatically grasp something doesn't mean you aren't a great teacher or a good parent. Be solutions-oriented and look for a different way of helping them thrive.

For several years I often felt like I failed at educating our children while managing our home and squeezing in some quality time with each child. Sonlight was literally an answer to our prayers. Our first year of using Sonlight Curriculum was the first time we ever completed a full school year without switching to something else halfway through. Sonlight has lightened my load, helped me feel like a success, and brought joy back into our homeschooling journey. —Shannon H. of Port Arthur, TX

3. Don't Give Up

You care about your children more than anyone else in the world. When you take the time to figure out how to help them learn best, you are giving them a lifelong gift. Education is not a race. Whatever your child's strengths or weaknesses, you are looking to make progress in ways that mean success for your child. This is worth it.

No one is going to ask your child in a job interview what age he was when he learned to read. An employer simply needs to know that he can read. Therefore, don't sweat your milestone timelines too much. Use them as general helps in shaping goals and then adapt to your children's needs.

4. Don't Go it Alone

One of the best ways to respond to snags in our homeschool efforts is to talk it out with someone who understands. I encourage you to first turn to your Creator who knows you and your children inside and out. Pull in your spouse to share both the victories and the struggles you encounter. And connect to community, whether that is in your neighborhood or your favorite homeschool Facebook group. The Sonlight Forums offer a wealth of perspective from moms who have journeyed through more scenarios than you can imagine and it's likely you can find someone who understands or who would be happy to encourage and pray for you.

May you enjoy a new year of learning side by side with your kids. I am confident you can look back on this season–both the fun times and the snags–and see how God was working in and through your family to draw you closer together and closer to Him.

Tagged homeschool, problems, snag, solutions | Leave a comment

Jan. 12, 2018

How to Forge Good Homeschool Habits and Nix the Bad Ones

By Sonlight

About a year ago, I realized that I was checking my phone a few times during homeschool lessons. I realized that I wouldn’t much like it if, in between two books—or maybe in the middle of a page—they suddenly checked out to talk to a friend for a few minutes. How disrespectful! I was ashamed that I had fallen so easily into such a bad habit that affected both my parenting and our homeschooling. My disappointment with myself led me to research ways to forge good habits. I've used these not only to break my bad habit of phone checking during homeschool lessons but also to add positive habits to our routine.

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Tagged habits, homeschool tips, Homeschooling | Leave a comment

Jan. 8, 2018

7 Truths to Zap Your Fears about Teaching Homeschool Art History

By Gina Munsey

Art, it seems, is one of the more misunderstood subjects. In my conversations with homeschool parents, I’ve encountered over and over the idea that only artistically-minded families can adequately teach homeschool art history, or that art is somehow more difficult to teach than other subjects. This simply is not true!

You absolutely can incorporate art history into your weekly routine with confidence (and Sonlight makes it easy with these homeschool art electives, too!) Here are seven reasons why you shouldn’t feel intimidated by the idea of teaching art history.

1. Art History is for Math- and Science-Minded Families, Too

Our personal homeschool is heavily weighted towards the science and math ends of the spectrum, and yet we love our weekly exploration of art history. Though my math-minded daughter shows little interest in honing her skills beyond stick figures, she adores art with geometric components, like Vermeer’s 1658 painting The Little Street, or Mondrian’s primary color compositions from the 1920s and 1930s.

2. You Don’t Have to Know How to Draw to Teach Art History

Art history is about learning to recognize and appreciate the great masters, not learning to draw. As a homeschool mom, you can confidently and adequately teach art without drawing, painting or sketching.

In fact, the terrific Come Look With Me art appreciation books don’t even incorporate hands-on projects. I love the author’s thoughtful and narrative approach to art. For each lesson, you and your child will

look at a richly detailed, colorful work of art,
read about the artist’s life, and
ask curiosity-provoking questions which encourage close observation.

In just minutes each week, you can add a whole range to your cultural knowledge.

3. Art History is Not the Same as Arts and Crafts

I’ll tell you a secret. I don’t like crafts. If you’re avoiding the study of art because you’re just not a hands-on mom, that’s okay! You don’t need to love popsicles sticks, paper plates, and pom-poms in order to dive into the diverse beauty of art through the ages.

4. Studying Art History Just Means...Studying Art

The term art history can sound intimidating, can’t it? But it really just means studying art. In the loosest definition, if the art existed sometime before today—great! You’re studying art history. There’s a progression of eras of course—the Classical Greek period is distinct from the Renaissance—but you do not need to master the entire art history timeline in order to cultivate a deep love and appreciation for art and beauty.

5. You Don’t Have to be an Art Major to Teach Art History

I teach art history at our local homeschool co-op, and every few weeks, someone asks me, “Is your background in art?” My background, in fact, is in everything but art—I’ve worked in a sheet metal factory, a juvenile detention center, and a mortgage company. But art isn’t esoteric, available to only a select few. In this modern, interconnected age, the art of the masters is more accessible than ever.

You don’t have to be an art major to browse the art history section of the library, click through the galleries of any number of art museum websites, or peruse an art history timeline. In fact, you don’t even have to do any of that—you can just pick up a homeschool art curriculum like Artistic Pursuits, open it up, and go.

Why do I love Artistic Pursuits? In K-3 Book 2, for example, you’ll

see a full-color reproduction of a famous art piece,
read an overview of the artist/genre in historical context, and
do a hands-on project emphasizing some aspect of what you learned.

6. Art is for Everyone, Not Just for the Select Elite

There’s a common misconception of art not being accessible to all, but only to a few who are sophisticated enough to understand it. But we do not live in the Dark Ages. Today, anyone with an internet connection or a library card now has access to the famous works. There’s no velvet rope around art!

7. You Don’t Have to Know the History of Art to Teach Art History

It’s true! Remember, your goal in teaching art history is

to glorify God,
to cultivate curiosity,
to foster a love for beauty,
to promote critical thinking,
to encourage quiet contemplation,
to recognize famous and culturally-significant pieces,
to respect that each person’s individual styles and tastes in art differ,
to acknowledge the widely diverse range of gifts God has given each of us.

You don’t need to know all the historical facts surrounding a painting to accomplish those worthwhile goals.

Be free from your fear of homeschool art history. Art appreciation has little to do with one’s own artistic talent—or lack thereof. Own your God-given love for beauty. As the created, designed by the master Creator, “We do not want merely to see beauty... we want something else which can hardly be put into words—to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” -C.S. Lewis

Celebrate beauty, to the glory of God!

To see the full scope of Sonlight curriculum options, including Art, request a complimentary copy of your catalog today.

Tagged art, history, homeschool | Leave a comment

Jan. 3, 2018

6 Steps to Getting Back into a Homeschool Routine after Holidays

By Gina Munsey

It can be hard to reestablish a sense of normalcy after a break in the homeschool routine, can’t it? Even if the tree is still blinking in the corner of the living room, Christmas is, to borrow from Charles Dickens, past. As Ebenezer himself said, “There is no doubt whatever about that.” Getting back into a homeschool routine after holidays can feel like swimming upstream in peanut butter. But it must be done. So how do we shift gears from merriment and relaxation into finishing the whole rest of the school year stretched out before us?

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Tagged back to school, break, Christmas, holidays, homeschool, new year, schedule, tips | Leave a comment

Dec. 29, 2017

Seven Ways I Keep My Kids Focused During Reading

By Nicole Walter

Are you a mom whose children struggle to sit still during school? Has that made you afraid to use a curriculum that requires a large amount of reading? Well, you’re not the only one. Keeping my kids focused during reading was one of my fears before we started using Sonlight curriculum.

I have multiple children who are in constant motion. When I read aloud to them, I find them doing headstands on their chairs, chewing on their pencils, and tapping the table.

Finding a curriculum that works for my active children has been a challenge. Sonlight has been a surprisingly good fit, though. Some people assume a literature-based program won't work with active kids. But that's not true!

Take Sonlight Science, for example. These programs offers a mix of different learning methods. Yes, there's reading. But there are also activity sheets, hands-on projects, and experiments. Because the programs address a variety of learning styles, both of my younger sons are doing great with it. They are loving science and learning so very much.

Through trial and error, I have discovered several ways to keep my children active yet focused during reading times so they can pay attention to the stories.

1. Be Active

Have the kids expend some physical energy before starting school. Let them run around outside, climb on play structures, or do some strenuous chores before starting school.

2. Eat Right

Start the day out with a good breakfast that helps kids focus and sit still. If they have a breakfast full of sugar, it will make paying attention that much harder for them.

3. Take Regular Breaks

Have the kids take regular breaks. For us, that means we take a break about every 90 minutes. During this break, the kids get have another chance to get some nervous energy out and have a small, healthy snack.

4. Use Coloring or Notebooking Pages with Read-Alouds

There are times that the kids struggle to sit still despite my best intentions. During these times, I provide them with coloring or notebooking pages to work on while I am reading.

5. Provide Sensory Input for Independent Studies

If my children are working independently, I will have them use a wiggle seat and munch on crunchy apples while they study. If they are struggling, I order some jumping jacks and try again. Some days when we are having a really bad day, we try the lesson again later that day or even the next day.

6. Use Fidget Tools

Providing a basket of fidgets is trick that works! I cannot tell you how often one of our kids will grab something from that basket to use while I am reading or while they are working on independent studies.

7. Mix Things Up

If my child is having a difficult time writing their work on paper, I change things up. I may have them write in the sand, on a gel bag, with a marker, or on a chalkboard. The joy of homeschooling is the fact that things don’t always have to be done the same way. Plus you may find your kiddo does much better writing the words somewhere else.

Think Outside The Box

After thirteen years of homeschooling, I know that no plan is foolproof. At least a couple of days a year our day is going so badly that we take the day off to hike trails or snuggle in bed and watch an educational video. Having special needs kids has definitely taught me how to be more flexible both in my teaching and parenting. I am really glad that Sonlight has tailored a curriculum to be able to teach an array of learners!

Curious to see how a literature-based education might work for your active children? Go to SmoothCourse to explore your options.

Tagged active kids, activities, homeschool tips, listening, read-alouds, reading, Teaching Tips, wrad | Leave a comment

Dec. 22, 2017

4 Reasons You Will Never Regret Homeschooling

By Ana Willis

Dear homeschool mom, you will never regret homeschooling your child.

I don't know the reasons why you chose to homeschool your child, but I imagine they aren't too far from mine. At the core, I want more for my children. I want the best I can offer them and the best God has for them. I'm sure you do, too.

But to offer that to them through homeschooling requires sacrifices. The biggest one for me was learning to be selfless. I left my career and stepped back from full-time ministry as a pastor to care for the most important flock God has ever entrusted me with—my children.

It wasn't easy. It was painful at first. I was insecure. I questioned if the sacrifice was worthy. But day after day, I see the fruits of homeschooling and am convinced that the pain, insecurity, and sacrifice is worth it. Here are four reasons why you and I will never regret homeschooling.

1. You Will Never Regret Time Spent With Your Children

The gift of time is irreversible. Although we have time right now, we don't know if we will have it tomorrow. The Bible says our lives are but a vapor (James 4:13-14).

As a mom, you fully understand what it feels like to want to go back in time but realize that you can't. You have looked at your growing children in amazement.

Where is the baby I was rocking just months ago?
What happened to the toddler who was here yesterday?
Who is this child saying such wise things and understanding adult concepts?
Who is this teenager learning to drive a car?!

Time with our children today is the most precious gift we can ever have.

When you homeschool, you get to claim back more of their fleeting childhood years because you spend more time together.

2. You Will Never Regret the Family Bond that Homeschooling Provides

In these past five years, I've seen my children becoming best friends. They truly have each other's back. They have become a team—a beautiful team, always willing to help each other. Yes, they have their not-so-loving moments, too, but these have become rare moments in our house.

I also see how my heart is complete with them around me all day.

To the mom who is reading this now, thinking she can't be around her kids 24/7 and remain sane, I want to admit that it is not easy some days. But I've become a better mom, and a better person, because of it. Homeschooling is God's sandpaper, I heard once. It's true!

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:14

Let love be the core of your homeschool and the glue that binds your family together. The family bond is one more reason you will never regret homeschooling.

3. You Will Never Regret Building Strong Faith and Values

Homeschooling is discipleship. It is not just academics but an opportunity to teach your child as a whole person, investing in their faith and character training. You, homeschool parent, are their greatest role model. As you teach your children day in and day out, they are watching your actions, reactions, and words—learning from your example as much as from your instruction.

There is no greater mission for a parent than to fulfill the greatest of all commandments.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deutoronomy 6:4-9.

Faith building is our ultimate priority in the lives of our children and another reason you will never regret homeschooling your children.

4. You Will Never Regret Time Invested In Their Custom-Made Education

If you have more than one child, you are keenly aware that each child is unique in personality, in preferences, and in they way they learn.

I have a little engineer who spends most of his time building. He loves math and hates writing although he loves reading.
I have a ballerina who will dance her way around the house doing pirouettes. She loves music, playing the piano, singing, doing crafts, and writing her own stories.
And I also have the future medical doctor of the house. She is only five years old but absolutely loves all things science and is fascinated by the human body.

Becoming a student of my children enables me to customize their education in a way that delights them. And I get to learn more about them and love them in fresh ways as I see new facets of their personalities.

Last year I wrote a list of 31 reasons I love homeschooling. Having that list handy reminds me why I started and why this is the best decision I have ever made for my family. Have you ever made a list of all of your reasons for homeschooling—why you love it and why you made this decision for your family? I am sure if you do, you will find your very own reasons to never regret homeschooling.

Take advantage of our 100% guarantee. No other homeschooling company can match our Love to Learn, Love to Teach™ promise. You can order with confidence that either you will have a great year, or you will get a full refund.

Tagged benefits of homeschooling, Homeschooling, reasons to homeschool, why homeschool | Leave a comment