amacbean16

Hmm. I’m also an “over”achiever and have had to learn what’s really worth a full court press. That being said, I wonder that the article paints this as a purely negative characteristic and inhibitory to getting the male-dominated executive jobs. …

Beautiful photos! Thanks for the fun travelogue. I hope to visit someday.

That video (and the sequel) are Halloween staples at our house! Also, we solicited picture books read aloud as mp3 files from extended family before an epic cross country summer road trip and our kids are still listening to them 5 years later and …

Hmm. I take issue with this statement (from the article, not the study) regarding screen time: “its ubiquity precludes the possibility of avoidance.” Given that toddlers and preschoolers can’t buy their own devices, I really don’t see why screen …

I’m not sure that question applies to me, because I don’t think I ever stopped exercising. I’m in my mid thirties and have been active all my life. I’ve had to “begin again” plenty of times after injury, illness, childbirth, etc. but the need to …

Hmm. This is something I struggle with actually because I want to believe everyone is fundamentally honest and well-intentioned, but unfortunately I’m learning that’s not the case. Someone close to me is retired now but made his living owning a …

I'm intrigued by the concept of a "bouncy cheesecake." Google says it's a lighter, Japanese version of a cheesecake. Yum. I would have been turned off by that gorgeous color had I not learned from you that it's totally natural. Very cool!

Well, things took a pretty different turn less than two weeks after she moved in. Her little one arrived 5 weeks early! She’s doing well and hopefully will be discharged later this week. 🥰

Aww what a cutie. A little amnesia does help the desire to have more kids, I think. Our fifth child is 5 months old and every one of our kids has loved being swaddled, so we've definitely gone through that rough patch before. Now for the …

I’m so glad you posted this! We’ve memorized and loved a quote from Victor Frankl for years but I never thought to look into who he was. What a tremendous amount of meaning his personal history adds to what he said: “Between stimulus and response …

I love setting goals, and I also love habits so I’m all about new year’s resolutions. We typically talk with our kids and encourage everyone to set a public goal in three of these areas: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. We often …

Oh I attended Brigham Young University and nobody curses there, so you do get some very interesting substitutions. "Cheese and crackers" was popular as was "oh my stinkin' heck." "Fetchin'" is about as close as you get to an F-bomb. My husband …

I consider "reinforcing facts" distinct from "learning facts" and I have different recommendations for each. Reinforcing or speeding up facts can be done in any number of different ways. Here are some of our favorites: - Xtramath.org is free …

Thanks for the fun interview. Hmm, I would just encourage anyone who is interested in their child’s education to think of it in its entirety. It’s more than a worksheet. Even if they’re in a traditional school setting, the things we do in the …

I've been asked about homeschooling high school since my oldest was 5, and I've always answered that I have no idea. Just recently I've started to think that I would like my kids to go to high school, so we'll see in a few years if I still feel …

Math! I love it. I am in the minority among homeschool moms, though. I think most find it a difficult subject to teach because either they don't feel confident in their own math skills, or they struggle wanting to make it "fun" for their kids and …

My experience with socialization has been a bit different. I think traditional schooling provides a few key things that are more difficult to come by for homeschoolers. Let me say first, though, that I am glad that my kids' model for healthy …

> What do your neighbors think of your homeschooling?  Is it more difficult for your kids to make friends? To get involved in team sports or after school activities? If you ask most homeschoolers about socialization, they'll either laugh or get …

The messy moments I was referring to, though, were more along the lines of personality conflict, power struggles, and strong emotions. If you ever experience pushback when asking your kids to do their chores and despair that they will ever learn …

Messy moments? Oh there are so very, very many. First, the actual physical mess. Papers and books and forts, oh my! I need to interview a panel of minimalist homeschoolers because we are definitely not when it comes to school supplies. Plus, the …

Last one... promise! The most special memories for me are probably the everyday ones of just being together as a family. The older siblings snuggling the new baby in the morning because they aren't rushing anywhere. The 8 year old helping the 6 …

The next type of memory I alluded to is at least as significant to me: learning done in the margins. I try to leave plenty of margin in our day for our kids to be just kids. That means even my 5th grader who is passionate about math is doing 30 …

When learning isn’t something you do TO a child, but you do alongside them, it’s a pretty beautiful thing. Homeschoolers definitely don’t have the monopoly on this but it’s easier because you direct the curriculum.  Anyone could find out what their …

Oh definitely. I think homeschooling naturally lends itself to creating at least three varieties of those special moments and memories. I know parents whose kids go to public school, though, who experience something similar because of some …

Thanks, apm! My husband and I both attended public school.  After college, he went on to medical school and I opted out of pursuing graduate school for chemistry in favor of being a stay at home mother.  I was working full time from home for …