Search Results for: blog reading readiness

Interest and Readiness are Not the Same Things

As a parent, it can be hard to figure out when is the right time to introduce new skills or expectations with our children. When do we introduce solids? When do we start to potty-train? “When?” tends to be the big question that parents are constantly asking themselves. One good indicator of when a child is ready to take on a new skill or make a developmental leap is when they start to express and interest. It is important to remember, however, that interest does not always mean that the child is ready. A child might start reaching for solid … Continue reading →

2006 in Review: Homeschooling Blog at a Glance

As a new homeschooling blogger at Families.com, I wanted to know everything that has been discussed to date. In response to my own curiosity, and in an effort to make perusing our articles easier for you, our readers, I have compiled all of the blogs for the year 2006. Deciding to Homeschool Why homeschool Am I qualified for this? Reasons that Homeschooling Works! My Most Important Advice for Homeschoolers. The Cost of Homeschooling Instead of standing up for their own kids, why not stand up for all kids? Disclaimer: I am hardly an expert in education. Did You Know? ‘Empirical … Continue reading →

Academic Readiness Skills for Young Children

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When you are home schooling your young children, you can use this list to identify things that you need to work on. However, I would like to add a small note about reading. Teaching reading in the early years is a moderately recent concept. It is quite normal for children to not be able to read until 8 or even 9 years old. The recent push for children to pick up reading early is two fold. First of all, there are more and more children who have several of the risk factors that are correlated to poor performance in school: … Continue reading →

Before Five in a Row

Product: Before Five in a Row Age Level: 2-4 years old Format: Softcover book Price: $35.00 What is Before Five in a Row? Not to leave out the eager younger children, this volume provides mini Five in a Row- style lessons for youngsters. This book; however, is divided into two parts, the first being similar to the other curriculum guides. Just as in the original series, each unit is built around a simple, classic children’s storybook. This book differs from the older volumes in that it is not structured around a week. The purpose is simply to provide an array … Continue reading →

Homeschool Groups and Resources in Indiana A-H

Getting involved with other homeschoolers is very important to a family’s success in homeschooling It is important to join a homeschool network or support group in your area, There are also many homeschooling groups as well as many homeschooling classes, and programs that your students can enjoy. In this series, we are covering homeschool groups and resources across the country. This installment will cover Indiana homeschool groups and resources, A-H. Academy You AcademyYOU is a public virtual charter school with its home office located in Little River, Kansas. Students located in Kansas can enroll at no cost as their funding … Continue reading →

If I Could Start Over Again, Thoughts from a homeschool veteran

I don’t know If I can really call myself a homeschool veteran just just yet because I have not graduated a homeschooler. I have however, gotten my kids to the high school stage and am continuing to homeschool them. 75% of homeschoolers (my best bet)decide to stop homeschooling by this point. This is not a condemnation, just a fact, as each family must do what is best for them. If I had to do it again, as in start from scratch with a new child in Kindergarten, I would certainly do things differently. There are also some things I would … Continue reading →

Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption

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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption is an overview of all types of adoption. Thus it is necessarily light on any one type. While it provides many “real-life snapshots” of various parties involved in all types of adoptions, it is a good general overview for initially researching adoption, rather than a manual I would refer to again and again (as, for example, I do with Real Parents, Real Children, in which I always seem to learn something new that applies to the different stages of life that our family moves through). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption is written by … Continue reading →

The Importance of Routine for a Young Child

As a person, I usually thrive more on the spontaneous rather than the routine. I tend to get inspired and follow those inspirations rather than doing the same things at the same time on the same days. That said, even I can recognize the benefit of a routine, especially when there are certain things that just need to be done. Even within a routine there can be some flexibility and spontaneity, but having a routine can make life with little ones much easier for everyone involved. Why is a routine so important for young children? Well, for one thing, a … Continue reading →

Sleepless in the Synagogue

Dorit gave us a nice review of the various names of Shavuot. One custom of the holiday that puzzles many people is our practice of staying up all night in the synagogue and learning Torah instead of turning in after a late start to the holiday and a heavy meal. Both men and women often follow this custom, although in my circle, it is mainly incumbent on the men (and I don’t think I could manage to stay up all night, given the cooking, cleaning I do on Erev Shavuot, in addition to the fact that I have to work … Continue reading →

Adopting as a Single Parent: The Homestudy

Most adoptive parents are nervous about the “homestudy”, single parents perhaps more than most. The term “homestudy” refers both to the process of pre-adoption meetings with a social worker and the report the social worker prepared based on those meetings, and on letters of reference and evidence of financial stability. The homestudy includes a visit to the house, but contrary to reputation it is not about primarily about the house. It is not about wealth, neatness, or organization. You do not even have to own your home. The only requirement is that the home has space for another child. Our … Continue reading →