Are our fears about homeschooling possibly misplaced? The stories we hear about homeschooling have been handpicked—largely because they are unusual. What do you fear about your homeschooling? I noticed this unusual sign inside the Aquarium du Québec. I was captivated by their clever presentation of unjustified fears. While I stroked the stingray in the child-friendly tank nearby, I read the list and considered how many of my own fears are unfounded.

In my local Asian market, I saw this sign hanging above the freezer section. It reads “Frozen foods can prevent the decay and deterioration in the oven.” The concept is mostly there, but the key details were lost in translation. We preserve the things we want to keep. Preservation makes the transient last a little longer. Preservation is the fleeting interval between freshness and storage. Preservation allows it to be enjoyed again in the future.

As a homeschooler, time can feel unwieldy. Our freedom can almost be debilitating. “If you have struggled with a sense of inadequacy—wondering if you are good enough because you cannot seem to do it all, or do it well—maybe your only shortcoming is how you schedule your time,” teaches minimalist homeschooler Zara Fagen in her book, Minimalist Homeschooling. I believe our discouragement in our homeschooling can often be overcome by structuring our time differently.

The creativity of homeschooling can’t support comparison; there are too many differences. Comparison shatters the lens that makes gratitude possible.

Feeling like no one understands my life experience leaves me weary. If I consistently feel, “I am different” and “my experiences aren’t like yours,” I am disheartened. None of us want to have to explain “why we’re doing this” or “what we do all day long.” We want empathy. We want camaraderie. We want to have friends that understand why we choose to homeschool. We all have stories to tell, feelings to confess and ideas to express to an audience uniquely situated to resonate with us.

EdChoice, in partnership with Hanover Research, conducted a survey of homeschooling families in 2021. Their results are summarized in the Homeschooling Captsone Report. The most salient obstacles to homeschooling cited by current homeschoolers in the survey include concerns about instructional quality and children’s future prospects, the time and financial burden of homeschooling, and difficulty accessing resources and support One of their questions was, “how problematic have the following obstacles to homeschooling your child been?

Recording from LDSHE 2018 “Deeper Focus Through Fewer Distractions” We Need to be Less Distracted “The ability to pay attention, to control the content of your consciousness, is critical to a good life. When you’re constantly interrupted by external things…by self-generated interruptions, or by your own efforts to multitask and juggle several tasks at once, the chronic distractions erode your sense of having control of your life. They don’t just derail your train of thought.

What does a good homeschool day look like? What does a bad homeschool day look like? What would it take to have more good days? This class discusses how to bring out the best in ourselves and others. The conversation will begin with our use of time, setting intentional direction for our day with clear priorities. We’ll focus on structuring routines for our families and ourselves, considering personal productivity that has deliberate downtime and clear boundaries.

The French term mise en place (pronounced meez-ahn-plahs) encompasses the idea of having all of your ingredients, tools and supplies ready to go before you start cooking. Chefs employ this method to streamline their workstations. The organizational system of mise en place is so rigorous that chefs should be able to find the ingredients they need even while blindfolded. Journalist and chef Dan Charnas explains that mise en place is more than just a system for getting things done well in the kitchen.

You already know it’s important to exercise. You’re familiar with the list of benefits to your strength, metabolism, and sleep. Here’s one advantage you may not be as familiar with: exercise makes a big difference for learning. As one of the world’s foremost authorities on the brain-fitness connection, Harvard neuropsychiatrist John Ratey wrote Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain to convince the world of the importance of exercise, and not for the cardiovascular benefits; he believes it makes a vital difference in our brains.