• Last updated 8/12/12 by Laura Grace Weldon

We’re laughing even thought it’s not quite the beat at our house. About Laura Grace WeldonLaura Grace Weldon is a writer, editor, conflict resolution educator, and marginally useful farm wench. She is the author of Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything. She lives with her family on Bit of Earth Farm. Check out life on the farm at http://bitofearthfarm.wordpress.com/ and keep up with Laura's relentless optimism at http://lauragraceweldon.com/blog-2/ Posted by: Laura Grace Weldon read more

• Last updated 10/8/12 by SavvyHomeschool

In this episode, we talk about World Breastfeeding Week, the Mars rover landing, preschool audiobooks, and how to stay sane while homeschooling! Some links from this episode: Pieter Brueghel Painting, “Children’s Games”, Virtual exhibit Mars Rover Curiosity video (streamed live, now recorded) Georges Méliès Robert Munsch To see the full show notes, including a LOT MORE links to all the resources mentioned, please visit our website: The Savvy Homeschool Moms, episode 12. To subscribe to or download our show, check us out on iTunes, or our website. You can also now... read more

• Last updated 8/6/12 by Marcy Axness

Four Ideas for Simplifying Life While Enriching Education Aside from some fall clothes, fresh notebooks and maybe a new backpack, how might you prepare yourself and your children for a back-to-school season that doesn’t slam you like a late-season ocean wave — smack!! — and instead lays a foundation for sustainable nurturance, sanity and joy in the family for the coming year? Picking up from the first two ideas in Part 1, let’s look at two more ways to deploy simplicity to enrich your child’s school experience. These ideas harness two of simplicity’s major values:... read more

• Last updated 10/25/12 by AdinaL

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Claire Dederer, bestselling author of POSER: MY LIFE IN TWENTY-THREE YOGA POSES. What advice, yogic or otherwise, do you have for new moms and dads, especially in those first few wonderful but very trying years. Oh, dear, I get asked this often. And I feel like the least qualified person on earth to be dispensing advice on this particular subject. I can only say I wish I’d devoted myself more wholly to the motto “Whatever works.” There’s a a huge diversity of solutions and ways of parenting that are... read more

• Last updated 8/1/12 by Kelley Powell

Here’s a bedtime story to read with your children whether you’re camping in the woods, in your backyard or attempting to outwit clever city raccoons. Have a great long weekend! RACCOONS! A Tall Tale for the Tent © Diomedes66 | Stock Free Images Xavier woke up one morning and jumped up and down with excitement. “Today we’re going camping, and we always get yummy treats when we go camping!” Xavier watched as his Mom packed the cooler with delicious things to eat: marshmallows, veggie dogs, popcorn and pudding. She put everything in the car and off they went to the... read more

• Last updated 8/1/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Lisen StrombergIssue 93, March/April, 1999 My son is a cross-dresser. Most mornings he gets up, puts on a hand-me-down dress, wraps an old pillowcase around his head with a ribbon (to create his "long blond hair"), and prances around singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music." My son is three and a half years old. At the toy store, he does not want a Batman doll. "I want Batgirl," he cries. When he begs to play with his friend Margo, it is because she has such an extensive collection of Barbie dolls and outfits in which he can dress them. He loves... read more

• Last updated 8/1/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Elizabeth Bruce Web Exclusive It's a dirty little secret. Good mothers get angry. Sometimes they get really angry. Stay-at-home moms do it, working moms do it, all moms do it. Take it from me. I am the mother of four young children, two of them, er, "spirited," so I know a thing or two about maternal anger. Kids will be kids, and as such, they will get into trouble, fight, wreck things, and argue with you. As an adult, it is often hard to sympathize with children's irrational, destructive, messy, or loud behaviors. Anger does not mean that you don't love your... read more

• Last updated 8/1/12 by Mothering Editorial

Hurting the One You LoveBy Naomi Bindman June 07, 2012 “I’m not one of those people who doesn’t believe in spanking,” a friend announced. She continued, “I think that if you can hug, you can spank.” I struggled to find a response that didn’t sound preachy. After a pause I asked, “Does that work for you?” “Oh, no!” my friend laughed, “He just does the same thing again the next time!” I am one of “those” people who does not believe in spanking. Usually I respect other parents’ right to raise their children in the way they think best, but I can’t find a way to... read more

• Last updated 10/8/12 by SavvyHomeschool

  In this episode we talk about the Olympics and yes, Doctor Who did get discussed (well, hey, the Olympics ARE in the UK this year and the show IS a UK show, and we ARE Whovians, afterall…how could it not??) AND… most importantly: (as its been ALL CONSUMING for us lately!) PLANNING and ORGANIZING FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!   Some links from this episode: Tina’s Flags of the Olympics Printable Enchanted Learning (also mentioned for flag printables) Weekly Homeschool Planner Mead Flex Hybrid Notebinder HomeschoolRealm.com’s Charlotte Mason booklist for history   To see... read more

• Last updated 10/25/12 by AdinaL

The Summer Olympics, with the athletes’ dramatic personal stories, unbelievable athletic prowess and excitement about thousands of people from hundreds of countries unified through sport, inspire children’s imaginations like no other global event. But the Olympics aren’t just about watching amazing athletes and rooting for your favorites. It’s also a great opportunity to turn children onto world culture and geography. With 204 countries competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics, there are many important and fun things to teach children that go far beyond the... read more