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Home Learning Year By Year

Encouragement, Mom Helps, New to Homeschooling, Organization No Responses »

Feb 032012

What’s one of the biggest homeschooling questions you are asked or find yourself asking? I’m not talking about the, “Is this enough?” question, rather the, “What should my child know?” It’s so easy to wonder if you’re teaching your children the right information at the right time, especially if you’re not using standard textbooks.

There are solutions to this problem but my favorite comes in one small book. Home Learning Year By Year by Rebecca Rupp. This book has saved my sanity many times. Really, it has. Home Learning Year By Year breaks down exactly what children will be tested for or are learning in most US based public institutions for kindergarten through 12th Grade. One book. So much information!

How I use it:

I’m sure there are many ways you could use this. The book has an overwhelming amount of information. About once a year, during summer break or before the start of our new school term, I make a list of items I want my child to learn for his grade.

I also go back over the information my child should have learned from the previous grade , just to be sure I covered everything I wanted. You’ll find that much of the standards carry over. For instance, in Grade 2 a child is meant to learn how to use a comma when writing a date, address, or when making a list within in a sentence. By Grade 3 your child will expand their knowledge of commas, so don’t panic if you didn’t teach it in Grade 2. Just teach commas in Grade 3 and expand on it more.

The list making process isn’t complex. I read through the chapter for each of my children’s grade levels. I jot down, in a notebook, the things I know they don’t know or that I’m not sure if they’ll be covered formally in any of our curriculum. From there I type that list out and group things together. All math information, for instance, is tucked under a Math heading. I make sure to make a little check mark box next to each item I put on my list. It’s very simple. I also make sure to put the school year, grade level and child’s name on the top of each paper. I also leave some space for putting notes on my pages. I then print the pages out, and tuck the note into my Teacher/Mom notebook for school. As we go along I can tick off boxes when things are taught or learned.

Not everything has to be taught in a formal way. For instance, I’m really great for making the lists and leaving it laying around so I can bring certain topics up, “Do you guys know what an animal home is called?” If they get the right answer, I tick it off my list. Wrong answer? I plug in a Magic School Bus video and pull out a matching book, then I tick it off my list. Explaining terms like biography and autobiography can happen right at the dinner table. Where as teaching children how to alphabetize is better suited on the living room floor with an alphabet puzzle spread before you.

What I love:

I love that this one small book can guide me through my children’s entire school careers. There’s no need to purchase a new book all the time.

I love the price! Seriously, one book that will last me all 13 years of my children’s schooling and it only costs between $10 – $16 depending on where you purchase it. {Amazon.com has it for $10 + shipping & Book Depository has it for $15.97 with free shipping}

I love that Rebecca Rupp has taken the time to type out resources you can use to teach a variety of the things on her list. From main stream math programmes to lesser known picture books. It’s all right there at your finger tips!

I love that the book is small. I know that sounds silly, but really that’s big! I can toss this in my bag and take it with me nearly anywhere during the summer when I’m making my lists. It’s not much bigger than a typical paperback book!

What I don’t like:

I honestly can’t think of much about this book I don’t like. I think, if you live outside of America, you may not find the book as helpful because it is made to pass the US tests at the end of each grade. I can’t consider this a dislike because I knew that going in. I also don’t teach my kids to pass tests, so that’s not a problem for me.

There’s also the factor that while this explains what US children will be learning for history at different years, there’s going to be huge amounts of US history. Again, not something I dislike about this book for a couple of reasons. First off, I knew that going in. Secondly, my children are both American & Australian so it’s important that they know US history. For those of you not interested in learning US history you could simply substitute your country’s history in it’s place.

Bottom Line:

I love Home Learning Year by Year. I love the treasures inside of it. I love the peace of mind it helps me achieve! When asked what book to recommend to new homeschoolers this is one that’s on the top of my list!

Extra:

Rebecca Rupp has also written a book entitled The Homelearning Source Book. This book is a coffee table type book that is just bursting full of resources for teaching your children anything and everything. It’s very simple to use. And on top of the awesome resources, there’s also notes about which resources The Rupp Family used and how they enjoyed them. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if it’s still in print as neither Amazon or Book Depository seem to be selling copies of it, all though CBD seems to have copies {they do ship overseas as well.} If you can get your hands on a copy it’s well worth it!

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Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners Review and Giveaway!

Encouragement, Mom Helps, New to Homeschooling, Organization 31 Responses »

Dec 052011

Our very own friend and fellow review author, Cindy West has written this book, Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners! You’ll want to learn all about it below, plus enter for a chance to win your own copy. This book is…

A resource for those considering homeschooling
Inspiration for meeting the needs of a gifted and advanced learner
A tool for determining your child’s learning style
A source of encouragement for parents

I’m not sure how Cindy was able to cover so much in 160 pages but she does. She’s a mother with 14 years of homeschooling experience and a background in education. Cindy is also an author of the creative NaturExplorers curricula, has written many reviews for us here at The Curriculum Choice and knows first hand about adapting and preparing for her own learners.

Chapters cover:

Why Homeschool Gifted Children?
An Overview of Homeschooling
Choosing Curriculum
Teaching All Learners
Technology and the Gifted Homeschooler
Individualizing Instruction
Organizing Your Homeschool Day and Record Keeping
What About Socialization?
Thinking About College
Frequently Asked Questions
Plus a compilation of extensive resources and references

Practical. That’s the impression Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners gives me. She shares not only a wealth of examples for teaching gifted students and developing talent but also ideas and illustrations for day-to-day homeschooling. This inspiration includes…

Highlighted sections throughout the book which offer a bonus nugget of wisdom on almost every page!

Homeschool Hints – simple helps for your homeschool

Real-life Examples – answering the how to of applying the concept shared. The ‘this is how we did it.’

Homeschool Toolbox – book lists, website listings, integrating technology and more

Visual charts offer examples at a glance (e.g. the types of gifted learners)

I found a bonus in how the Teaching All Learners chapter is broken out by school subject. The author shares advice and learning ideas for both:

students who excel in a subject AND
students who struggle in a subject area

In summary, this book was eye-opening. I learned the definition of giftedness. The different types and areas of giftedness. Plus, Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners armed me with the tools and ideas needed to meet the needs of my gifted learners. Maybe you know that your student is gifted in a particular area but aren’t exactly sure how to foster that giftedness. Cindy’s book will encourage and inspire you as well as offer the practical strategy to put in place for learning!
A personal example? My daughter was struggling with her computer-based Teaching Textbooks math the same week I was reading this book. Because I read in one of the Real-Life Examples about Cindy’s daughter learning by reading, a light bulb went off in my head. Yes, yes. My daughter learns this way too. Here I was offering curriculum with a lecture for her to listen to. So we pulled out the accompanying textbook. Guess what? Reading the lesson was just what she needed. And Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners was just what I needed to be reading to be aware of the answer for our own homeschool!
Who is the book for? This resource is great for the new homeschooler, the homeschool geared toward the gifted and even one like me – having homeschooled ten years. Can’t all of us teachers benefit from continuing education and encouragement?

Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners is available from Prufrock Press Inc. for $24.95 HERE – where you can also click to look inside the book.

Now, for the giveaway! The rules are as follows:

Comment suggestions (not required): In what area do you feel your child is gifted or advanced? or How do you hope this book will encourage you?

~Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos homeschooling five children. She contributes a blend of writing at parenting, frugal living and homeschool sites as well as her own daily Hodgepodge.

Making Charlotte Mason Simple

Charlotte Mason, Elementary, High School, New to Homeschooling, Philosophies, Preschool, Uncategorized 3 Responses »

Jun 142010

What a wonderful experience I have had the last few months! I received the All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar on DVD, seminar workbook, and the Laying Down the Rails book and Workshop on DVD from Simply Charlotte Mason to review. If you have never been over to visit Simply Charlotte Mason, I highly recommend you take a look. They offer free curriculum guides, free ebooks, and many materials for purchase as well. They truly help make Charlotte Mason’s homeschool ideas simple. Their blog is one that always inspires me.

I began by watching the 3 DVDs for the All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar and taking notes through the accompanying workbook. I did this over the course of several evenings while my children were falling asleep in their beds, which allowed me some quiet to focus.

Session 1 (34 minutes) introduced me to Charlotte Mason, who she was, when she lived, and her ideas about education. It was neat to get to know her this way. I had tried to read her books in the past, but just could not get through them. It took too much brain power at a time when I was trying to just keep up with my young children and get sleep.

Session 2 (78 minutes) and 3 (71 minutes)held my hand as we went through each subject applying Charlotte Mason’s methods. Here is where I had many, many ah-ha moments. Short lessons, living books, and narration – these things made sense and could easily be integrated in our unit study family. I appreciated that I was not expected to add everything in at once. The appendix explained a doable plan for making the transition to a Charlotte Mason approach a step at a time. Here is a short clip from the workshop about using narration.

Are we now becoming a Charlotte Mason family? Yes and no. (grin) I think narrowly defining any homeschooling family by one method is usually inaccurate. We prefer to pick and choose the pieces that work for our family. I have discovered that many of the Charlotte Mason pieces fit our family! We have already begun to incorporate the following:

living books
narration
scripture memorization

We have plans to incorporate these ideas over the next year:

map drill
picture study
music study

Now let me tell you a little bit about the Laying Down the Rails book and DVD Workshop that came as part of this set. I watched the DVD first (45 minutes), using the workbook section for it from the All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar as I went. I love Charlotte’s idea that good habits are like railroad tracks, they smooth life out because a child is not having to make the same decisions over and over and over. I know that is true, even in my own life. Habits help me to accomplish many of the routine things in my day without the extra effort of decision-making.

Sonya, the workshop presenter, is funny and helpful as she leads you through many of the habits a child can learn. While there is an extensive list, she emphasizes to start with one habit, and not to add another until the first is truly habit. It was really helpful to watch the DVD with my husband. He was not up for reading the book, all 230+ pages, but the workshop got us both on the same mental page easily. He was as excited about habit training as I was. You can watch a short clip from the DVD right here.

I next spent nearly a month reading and pondering the Laying Down the Rails book. What a treasure! It contains Charlotte’s words on each habit gathered into one place, prefaced by a concise definition of the habit and a story that shows how the habit is important. There are entire chapters on ‘repairing the rails’ – breaking the bad habits we already have, including chapters on some specific problems like dawdling, temper tantrums, and lying. See a sample from the book HERE.

Where are we now? Well, habit training is a process, and I will be honest that the first person who has to acquire the new habit is me. However, we are working on our habits slowly and steadily, and I find a lot of support and encouragement when I read through Laying Down the Rails.

Would I buy these products? Yes! That is an unequivocal yes. The entire set can be purchased HERE for $54.95. That includes 3 All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar DVDs, the Session workbook, 1 Laying Down the Rails workshop DVD, and a print copy of the Laying Down the Rails book. I love having the All-Day Charlotte Mason Seminar on DVD, a shot of motivation that I can turn on whenever I need a boost. Homeschooling is a process, and the experience is different with each child. Having Charlotte Mason’s ideas broken down into manageable tasks gives me easy action plans to try when we need something adjusted. Laying Down the Rails is a treasure trove of ideas for habit training. Time will pass and our children will acquire habits. The question is what habits will they develop – ones we have carefully helped them build or contrary habits that we lazily let develop?

Written by Tristan, mom to 5 going on 6 children, homeschooling through unit studies with a side of lapbooks. You can visit her at her blog, Our Busy Homeschool.

{Disclaimer: I received these products free from Simply Charlotte Mason to enable this review. I received no other compensation and all opinions presented herein are my own.}

Homeschooling for the Rest of Us – A Review

Encouragement, New to Homeschooling No Responses »

Jan 142010

Do you sometimes read homeschool blogs and feel discouraged about your own homeschool?

Does a homeschool book fair leave you feeling overwhelmed with all the possibilities?

Do you sometimes think that you aren’t organized enough, creative enough, smart enough, or anything enough to homeschool?

If so, you are not alone.

I think that all homeschoolers sometimes feel incapable of meeting the challenges of homeschooling. And unfortunately we all play the comparison game at one time or another. But we need to keep in mind that we are unique, our children are unique, and our homeschools are unique.

I just finished reading Homeschooling for the Rest of Us by Sonya Haskins. The easy-to-read book is written to provide encouragment to homeschoolers who are feeling like they aren’t measuring up to those perfect homeschools. Written by an imperfect homeschool mom of five and homeschool consultant, the book offers sound advice on a wide variety of homeschool topics including developing positive relationships, socialization, establishing routines (or not), budgeting, and special needs children. Sonya Haskins calls herself a relaxed homeschooler, and while that is evident in some of the advice, this is not a book about different homeschool methods. I think the book would be useful for homeschoolers of any style. It is an especially good book for both new homeschoolers and those who are needing encouragement to continue homeschooling.

I received a free copy of this book in order to provide my honest review.

Written by Kristen – Classical Homeschool Mom of 4, Kristen blogs about her own imperfect homeschool at A Day in the Life.

How I Choose Curriculum

Biblical Principle Approach, New to Homeschooling, Philosophies 8 Responses »

Jan 112010

Curriculum collects on shelves in our living room and peaks from boxes in the shed. A glance in either place reveals more stuff than we can realistically use. I’m so thankful for the options, but options can paralyze.

So how do I choose what to help me teach my children? How did these books end up in our possession instead of others?

I search for items that line up with our purpose for homeschooling, and trust God to lead me. Yes, the academics are important, but when I consider our goals getting an A in calculus isn’t top priority.

I want my children to have godly character.
I want my children to know how to think and reason.
I want my children to grow in responsibility and self-government.

Can curriculum really address these deeper heart issues? I think that is the whole purpose of learning. So the curriculum crowding the shelves in our home has certain qualities.

It is reflective in nature.

Children need time to think about ideas. I keep multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank worksheets at a minimum.

It lays out the principles of a subject in a sensible way.

Definitions fill full the ideas words represent. A young child can understand that letters make sounds, sounds create words, and words turn into sentences. In this way, they can understand the whole subject of reading before they begin the practice.

It uses original source documents.

Reference materials lay a foundation for self-learning. Quotes inspire us to dig deeper into the context of historical events. Biographies are some of my favorite resources.

The writing is high-quality and inspirational.

This benefits my whole family. When we read good literature, we all enjoy lessons more. Yes, “Spot ran,” is technically a sentence, but it’s not engaging. Every student craves ideas and well-crafted stories.

When I started homeschooling, I had no idea how many wonderful resources I would find. I used to search to find enough for a complete year. Now it seems curriculum finds me.

What about you? What do you look for in curriculum? Do you have more than enough or not enough?

Written by Renae Deckard, Biblical Principled mother of 3. Find Renae’s reflections about homeschool and family life at Life Nurturing Education.

photo credit: kaleid

Honey for A Child’s Heart

Charlotte Mason, Encouragement, Language Arts, Literature, Living books, New to Homeschooling, Preschool, Uncategorized, Unit study resources 7 Responses »

Jan 012010

If I were stranded on a desert island with my family, destined to homeschool my children there until the next boat arrived, and I could only have one educational resource there with me, I would have to choose my library card. Of course, there would need to be a local library on that island, but that’s beside the point.

All joking aside, reading with my children is the one thing I have done almost everyday without fail since their babyhood. Whether we’re learning about the Middle Ages, celebrating a special holiday, or just cuddling up with a bedtime story, good children’s books are at the heart of our family life. I’ll venture to guess that the same holds true for many homeschooling families out there.

Because of my affinity for good children’s books, one of the first resources I purchased as a new homeschool Mom was Honey for a Child’s Heart: The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life by Gladys Hunt. This book is a treasure trove of wisdom regarding the use and impact of books on a child’s life, and it contains excellent lists of book recommendations that I find myself referring to over and over again.

Some of the topics the author covers include:

the importance of words and using them to nurture your child
how good books can broaden a child’s creativity and enhance their own writing skills
the importance of reading aloud together to strengthen the family bond and create a lifetime of memories
the enrichment of a child’s imagination through reading
using books to nourish your child’s spiritual life
using books to communicate with your children
reading together as a necessary ingredient for influencing your child’s life
what makes a good children’s book

This is just a sampling of the nuggets of wisdom Mrs. Hunt shares with her reader. The last half of the book is a compilation of book lists containing the best of the best children’s literature, culled from works both old and new. The lists are categorized by age (beginning at birth and continuing into young adulthood) and genre, including categories such as…

picture book classics
first books for beginning readers
classic children’s novels
stories for animal lovers
historical novels
fantasy novels
poetry
and more

In one of my favorite quotes Mrs. Hunt says,

“Young children, fresh uncluttered minds, the world before them – to what treasures will you lead them? With what will you furnish their spirit?”

Honey for A Child’s Heart has helped me in answering this question on many occasions. It has aided me in choosing some of the best and most beloved stories to share with my children. I hope that you might find it a useful tool as well.

Written by Shannon, who blogs about her family’s homeschooling and reading adventures at Song of My Heart.

An Introduction to Marguerite Henry

Biblical Principle Approach, Literature, New to Homeschooling 9 Responses »

Dec 152009

Growing up I read book after book. However, very few of the volumes I read are remembered or revisited.

At the library I checked out whatever looked interesting: Nancy Drew mysteries, Grace Livingston Hill romance novels, or historical fiction. My random searches hid some amazing authors. Now I get to discover these imaginative writers with my children.

After lunch I read aloud Brighty of the Grand Canyon.

“One more chapter please!” begs my three-year-old.

Her five-year-old sister crowds close and grins widening bright blue eyes. Eleven-year-old brother peeks in almost every chapter. As the verbs bounce off my tongue, the suspense of the story pulls him away from Lego.

Our collection of Marguerite Henry’s horse books was rescued from the trash. Library books thrown out to make room for new stories. Brighty of the Grand Canyon taken home only once in eight years. Was this spirited burro on the shelf at my school library? If he was, I didn’t take him home either.

Marguerite Henry was not introduced to me in my youth. But I know her now.

Her stories are revisited often in this home. Benjamin West and his Cat Grimalkin roam the house resting next to Father’s side of the bed, then Mother’s. Justin Morgan Had a Horse cracks my voice and spills tears over my eyelids. Children gasp, “Why are you crying?”

For many reasons, I’m sure. Because life is full. Because ideas are powerful. Because children crowd around me to enjoy the lacing of words. Stories crafted to communicate ideas of liberty, hope, and faith. Morsels I want to savor together as we read book after book…

Written by Renae Deckard, Biblical Principled mother of 3. Find Renae’s reflections about homeschool and family life at Life Nurturing Education.

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Pocketful of Pinecones

Charlotte Mason, Encouragement, Hands On, Living books, New to Homeschooling, Philosophies, Science, Uncategorized 4 Responses »

Oct 232009

51B56Y9JSZL._SL500_AA240_ I am currently reading for the third time a little novel that is such a treat for me and one that I have a difficult time putting down. It’s a delightful story and homeschool idea book all rolled into one. I’m talking about the book Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola, the veteran homeschooling mother who brought to light the works of Charlotte Mason.

The story is set in New England in the 1930′s and is the fictional account of Carol, a first-time homeschooling mother who is learning to apply Charlotte Mason’s methods as she teaches her children. Carol’s journal entries give the reader a window into the daily life of her and her family, as well as her hopes, fears, joys, and dreams, revealing that she is not so different from mothers today.

Mrs. Andreola weaves a heartwarming story of motherhood and family with the main emphasis on Carol’s carrying out nature study with her two children. Without sounding like a “how-to” manual, the story carefully incorporates ideas for nature study topics, nature walks, and keeping a nature journal. The reader can also learn from Carol’s example how to gently share and discuss information about nature with children without merely throwing facts at them.

One of my favorite things about this book is the inclusion of nature-related poems and hymns that would make wonderful additions to your own children’s nature journals. Mrs. Andreola also provides the scientific names of any nature subjects mentioned in the story, as well as thoughtful questions and ideas designed to get your wheels turning about studying nature with your own children. Because the chapters are short, you can enjoy each one in as little as fifteen minutes each day, coming away with a new idea or two to ponder and try out for yourself.

Whether or not you use the methods of Charlotte Mason or incorporate nature study into your own homeschool, this book makes for a welcome escape to a simpler time and place. Carol’s calm and gentle demeanor has a soothing effect on me and is something that I aspire to in my own mothering. Each time I read this story I come away refreshed, rejuvenated, and inspired to continue setting aside time to explore God’s creation with my children.

You can learn more about the Charlotte Mason method and Karen Andreola’s books by visiting her websites, Homeschool Highlights and the Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Company.

Written by Shannon, who enjoys learning about nature with her own children. She can be found blogging at Song of My Heart.

Finding Support

Encouragement, New to Homeschooling 2 Responses »

Oct 222009

If you are just beginning to homeschool, you need to make it a priority to find outside support. There will be times when you will have questions or concerns that an experienced homeschooler can help you answer. Other times, you will need a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. Be very careful sharing your struggles with friends and relatives who aren’t supportive of homeschooling. Even those who are well-meaning can hear your problems and use that as ammunition to encourage you to quit.

It’s great to have friends that are going through the same stages of homeschooling as you are. You can swap stories, compare curriculum choices, and fellowship. They can provide daily support and also times of fun for you and children together. But, it is an even greater blessing to find someone who has graduated at least one of her children. I am blessed to know a lady in my church who was among the pioneer homeschoolers in our state. Recently, I was able to speak to her specifically about some discipline problems in my home, and she was able to encourage me. One very specific way was to point to her oldest son and say that he used to act in a similar way! I can’t begin to express how happy that made me. This son is grown with 6 young children of his own. To know that he hadn’t been a “perfect” child made me feel like a weight had been lifted off of me. I was reminded that my hope should be in the Lord, not in my various methods.

So maybe you’re saying, “Thanks for the touching story, but I don’t know anybody else who homeschools. What about me? What should I do?

Seek to meet other homeschoolers:

1. Locally
A good first place to look is at your church. If your church is large, it may even have its own support group. Ask around in your Sunday School class. Ask your children’s Sunday School teachers if they know of any homeschoolers. Call the church or ask the pastor. (Obviously, how to find homeschoolers at church is dependent on the size of the church. At a small church, you would probably already know who was homeschooling, if anyone.)

Ask your friends. Often after you tell people that you’re going to homeschool, they will mention that they know someone else who is homeschooling (unfortunately, it’s not always meant to complimentary). Rather than just nod, you can ask them who it is and whether they could introduce you.

Ask at various places that homeschoolers typically frequent. Ask your librarian if they have any programs for homeschoolers, or call a nearby science museum or YMCA. If they have special homeschooling programs, you can meet homeschoolers there by attending those events.

2. On-line
There are two different ways to use the internet to find homeschoolers.

First, it can aid you in your search for local homeschool groups. Try finding homeschool organizations for your state. They should be able to put you in touch with someone in your region. HSLDA is a good place to start, though you are more likely to find a state group than a local one at this site.

You can also find other homeschoolers on-line. There are numerous blogs that focus on homeschooling. (Like The Curriculum Choice of course!) Each of the writers here also has a personal homeschooling blog. You can “meet” other homeschoolers on message boards or Yahoo groups. Check out Our Lifestyle of Learning. It’s a great and friendly group where you can ask questions. There are many on-line groups that discuss specific curriculum or general homeschool styles.

Though on-line support isn’t an exact substitute for local fellowship, it is amazing how wonderful friendships can develop with people you’ve never even seen in person. Sometimes, you can’t find a local person that you really connect with, but you can on-line. Of course the usual on-line warnings apply. Don’t divulge personal information where anyone could access it. It is also very easy to lose track of time on the computer, so be on your guard.

Finally, if you are a veteran homeschooler, seek to help others. Be accepting of new people at homeschool events. It’s wonderful to see our friends, but when we visit with our friends to the exclusion of others we may be giving a bad impression of homeschool families. I’ve seen way too many posts on-line about unfriendly homeschool groups!

Written by Kristen, relaxed Classical mom of 4. You can find her blogging at A Day in the Life.

Inspiration from Pilgrim’s Progress

Bible, Biblical Principle Approach, Encouragement, Literature, New to Homeschooling 3 Responses »

Oct 062009

If lessons are meant to be creative, mine fail. This year, lessons are pretty much straight from the book. Commendable plans smolder in my thoughts. Our idea books are perused often, but not by me. My son has taken to finding his own creativity. I applaud his efforts.

Pilgrim's Progress
Pilgrim’s Progress

When I asked him to record the characters in Pilgrim’s Progress, he hunted for Alternatives to Worksheets. Not taking into account my paper-cutting, creative-sketching, engineer-type son, I had traded it on Paperbackswap. Similar books grace our shelves, so I did not think it would be missed.

It was, but only momentarily. Once my son explained his idea, I found another tab book as an example. He finished his lesson with flourish.

Enter guilt. Where is my creativity? I should be adding interesting projects to make school exciting. If I battle laziness, and quit being distracted, maybe my son will not draw incessantly at the bottom of every assignment.

Then again, maybe that isn’t so bad. His mark of individuality is on each page, and every doodle tells a story. I need some of his inspiration. Thus the thoughts clash in my heart. I can choose guilt and despair, or forgiveness and hope.

In Pilgrim’s Progress Hopeful and Christian are captured by Giant Despair. Thrown into the dungeon and tormented the prisoners refuse to die, so the giant plans to kill them. Fearful captives intercede through the night. Then Christian delivers a passionate speech,

What a fool, am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.

The key does indeed unlock the doors, and the companions escape, free to continue their path to beloved Celestial City.

Like these two pilgrims, I cannot remain burdened by fear any longer. Wallowing in guilt cripples. There are keys for me to use. They are principles to challenge my negativity.

Promise 1

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. Philippians 1:6

I am unfinished. The grace of God is my hope as I forge ahead on this pilgrim journey.

Promise 2

A battered reed he will not break off, and a smoldering wick he will not put out, until he leads justice to victory. Mathew 12:20

I am not ashes yet. The breath of the Holy Spirit blows on my heart to ignite my soul.

With these promises firmly in my grasp, I hear the chains clatter as they hit the floor. The gate swings open, and the paralyzed giant is no longer a threat. I am free!

Written by Renae Deckard, Biblical Principled mother of 3. Find Renae’s reflections about homeschool and family life at Life Nurturing Education.