Wednesday, July 23, 2014

3 Tips for a Hot, Inappropriate Homeschooling Marriage



Let's be honest.  
Our kids are with us ALL the tme.  
That's an upside, in my opinion, to homeschooling.  
Alas, it can cause a 'downside'.  
How do you have a hot marriage if the kids are always in the picture?

Never fear, the answers are here!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Quality Secular Resources/Books

I love Usborne!

I discovered Usborne books shortly after Punky and I began our homeschooling journey and I've had a love affair with them ever since.  The quality of the materials is excellent and the content is divine.  The fact that they are internet linked is icing on the cake!  I own almost every resource material book they have produced and I still find more to buy.

So, when Usborne offered to host a Book Party Fundraiser in support of N.A.S.H. I was delighted!  

I highly recommend you check them out if you haven't yet.  If you already use Usborne and you are planning on making a purchase for the upcoming school year, I ask you to consider doing so through The Inappropriate Homeschooler Funds N.A.S.H. Book Party.  It's super easy - you order from the comfort of your own computer and the items are sent directly to you.  The best part?  50% - yes, half - of all proceeds will go to fund N.A.S.H.

You receive quality resource materials and books and you do a little something to help the secular homeschooling community.  
How awesome is that?!?

Browse, buy, and support 
The Inappropriate Homeschooler supporting N.A.S.H.!

Usborne Book Party to Support N.A.S.H.

~Mari B.

Monday, July 7, 2014

The Art of Inappropriate Homeschooling



By

The Inappropriate Homeschooler



Inappropriate homeschooling is the easiest of all homeschooling methods.   There's really only a few items on the check list of homeschooling inappropriately.

  
1.  Be Authentic. 
 There's only one way to be happy:  Be your authentic self.  That bit of wisdom is not only true for living but for homeschooling as well.  If it isn't 'for you' don't try to make it 'for you'.  Don't worry about trying to teach kids fractions while cooking if you hate to cook.  Don't worry about trying to teach your kids all about plants by planting your own garden if you hate gardening.  Don't worry about following a curriculum if you *hate* following curriculums.  Follow a curriculum if you *love* following a curriculum.  Read all sorts of blog posts and pinterest boards for fabulous ideas on homeschooling if it works for you.  If doing that makes you feel sick to your stomach, don't read them - except this one of course.  The bottom line here is be true to yourself and allow your children to be true to themselves.  Find what works for you and your kids - no matter what it looks like to anyone else - and DO THAT.  If you are pulling your hair out, constantly 'sweating' over homeschooling, or continually feeling like you are failing then you are not being your authentic self and that doesn't work.  Trust me.



2.  Be Honest

The first step to being authentic is be honest.  Be honest with yourself, about yourself and about your kids.  This is hard-core, look yourself in the mirror honesty.  Do you work well with schedules?  Do your kids?  Do you do better with curricula?  Do your kids?  How do you best accomplish goals?  Are the goals you set ones that matter to you?  (Most of us don't accomplish goals that don't either matter to us or pay some dividend so we have to do what works for us).  If you already know that planning that BIG science project and buying all the supplies is as far as you'll get with it - be honest about that and skip it.  There *are* other ways to achieve objectives.  If you want or need your child to learn a foreign language, you don't have to learn it first you just have to find a resource for your child that works for him to learn it.  The same is true for science projects, gardening, and cooking (with fractions).  The more honest you are about who you are and what works for you the easy it is to look at your kids and be honest about what works for them and then find the authentic path that is your family's homeschooling.


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Please Considering Supporting N.A.S.H.

It has been a dream of mine for a bit now.  I've blogged about it, talked about it, and posted about it for almost two years.  I've been fortunate to have a great deal of support via a talented team of women taking on various positions with N.A.S.H. and an entire group of Inappropriate Homeschoolers cheering us on who believe in the idea behind The National Alliance of Secular Homeschoolers.

As we move closer and closer to the reality of N.A.S.H. I'd like to ask all the 'inappropriate homeschoolers' out there, and anyone else who support secular homeschooling, to please considering helping with funding!  

I truly believe that the day will come when homeschoolers, just like us, will have a strong voice, united in our vision, having created an alliance that provides support, resources, and a community for us all.

Thank you for any help you can give.  Any amount is deeply appreciated.