"I'm most comfortable when I'm following the curriculum," says one mom I recently worked with.  

Not an uncommon feeling with many homeschool parent-teachers. We trust the curriculum developers to have spent the time and money necessary to design a sequence of learning experiences that will lead children from A to Z in a specific subject area. 

And most are designed this way. BUT they are also designed for the MASSES and based on AVERAGES. 

When you are teaching a large group this is the best option a teacher has to help as many children as possible move from A to Z in understanding. 

But you are teaching 1. OK maybe more than one, but typically only one per grade level.  And this 1 is NOT AVERAGE.  Therefore the best option to lead this child from A to Z understanding is to PERSONALIZE the learning experience.

You don't have to throw out the curriculum, but you do need to consider if it's reaching your...

Exercise… BLAH!

Why can’t I love it like others do? I see moms who can’t wait to get to the gym every day. And there are those that run 5-10 miles, lift weights at home, and then do yoga before bed. OMG! If I could just have an ounce of their LOVE for exercise.

As a kid I played sports… but the running and stretching was always a chore. Catch a ball while running and I would do it all day. But take away the ball and just do sprints… YUCK!

I’ve recently been working with a posture pilates coach. She gives me a home routine involving stretching, weights, and pilates exercises that increase my heart rate and simultaneously improve my posture. I love how I feel after working out with her. I love how I feel after I do my home routine. My doctor has even commented on my improved health as a result. BUT I struggle every day with rallying to get started. I even putting on my work out clothes first thing every morning to get my head into it.

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I recently did a live stream on "Overcoming the 'Socialization' Argument Against Homeschooling." Join my FREE group Rookie Homeschoolers and watch it (videos section).

I'm astonished at how big this seems to be to some people, especially when compared to the long-lasting effects of one's academic learning experience and development of their spirit of life-long learning. But none-the-less it seems to be the issue EVERYONE brings up to a homeschooler or potential homeschooler. 

There are three misconceptions around "Socialization."

MISCONCEPTION #1 - Schools Teach Socialization - They do NOT. Parent Do. Friends Do. School is just a place to practice social skills. You can do this. 

• You can teach appropriate social skills i.e. Don't hit, No Name Calling, Share, Apologize, Forgive, Be kind. 
• You can plan play dates, involve your child in youth groups, boy/girl scouts, family events, etc. Here you offer a place to practice and an opportunity for you to...

Yesterday I was working with my social media marketing/Business coach, Caitlin Bacher, and she reminded me, "Love your CLIENT, NOT your content." 

I have spent my whole life loving my students and wanting to give them the best learning experience, but somehow with my homeschooling work I focused on the wrong students. While their kids are the ones who get the ultimate benefit of my work, HOMESCHOOL PARENTS are MY students. They are my learners. 

I feel re-focused on my client... as I now see them as my learner, depending on me to give them my BEST. I have a new excitement about building a community in my FREE Facebook Group, Rookie Homeschoolers. It's a place for me to find out what they need, encourage them in their journey, show them how to support each other, and help them take the  best steps to be a GREAT Homeschool TEACHER. 

I'm doing my first FB LIVE and I'm nervous. But when I remind myself that I've stood in front of 1000s of learners from ages...

This is a book review for Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. 

The book is eye-opening. Tony Wagner interviews some of the most innovative people of the 21st century and considers what it takes to raise children who will be innovators. He has testimonials of numerous professionals all over the world who claim that the ONLY competitive edge for the 21st century is one's ability to innovate through imagination and creativity. 

Check out this book and his site http://creatinginnovators.com The opening video is enough to rock you. 

If homeschooling - we need to consider together the kinds of learning experiences that can set your child on this kind of path.

If not homeschooling - consider what you can do as a parent to help your child down this kind of path. 

Book on Amazon - ...

This is a book review for Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. 

The book is eye-opening. Tony Wagner interviews some of the most innovative people of the 21st century and considers what it takes to raise children who will be innovators. He has testimonials of numerous professionals all over the world who claim that the ONLY competitive edge for the 21st century is one's ability to innovate through imagination and creativity. 

Check out this book and his site http://creatinginnovators.com The opening video is enough to rock you. 

If homeschooling - we need to consider together the kinds of learning experiences that can set your child on this kind of path.

If not homeschooling - consider what you can do as a parent to help your child down this kind of path. 

Book on Amazon - ...