We’re not talking here about homeschool burnout. We’re talking about the homeschool parent who’s happily homeschooling but just, well, tired.

It’s hard to join in with your kids on learning adventures when you’re exhausted. And with babies, kids’ activities, staying up late to get a little couple time after the kids go to bed, and getting up early to fit household chores in before schooling starts, lots of us are sleep deprived.

What can we do about it?

• · Get more sleep. This is the best plan, if it’s possible. And maybe it is. Keep track of how you spend your time for a few days and see whether you really need to stay up as late as you do, or to get up as early as you do. One mom told us that she stays up late to see particular TV programs. With TV and video recorders, not to mention the option of watching many of your favorite shows online, this just isn’t necessary any more. Another mom said she gets up to make coffee for her husband, who’s on an early shift at a factory. Maybe it’s time for her to lovingly suggest to her husband that they get a coffeepot with a timer and let her sleep for another half hour. Most of us need our eight hours of sleep, and it’s worth scheduling those eight hours.
• · Sleep better. For some, it’s not hard to get eight hours in bed, but that doesn’t mean eight hours of sleep. If worry keeps you awake, your best defense is prayer. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety,” says the psalmist in Psalms 4:8. The psalms have a lot to say about worry: remember that you can “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” Psalms 55:22 . And, if you don’t feel quite that optimistic, there’s always Matthew 6:34: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” It’s hard to sleep if anxiety or even excitement fills your mind, but prayer, or counting your blessings, can calm you enough to sleep, if you let it.
• · Nap. If you can’t get to bed earlier or stay up later, or your sleep is disturbed by a nursing baby, you may be able to find time during the day for a nap. Research suggests that the best way to take a nap and end up refreshed rather than groggy is to start with a cup of coffee. Odd as that sounds, the caffeine kicks in after ten or fifteen minutes, so subjects in the studies woke up and felt alert. Between 1:00 and 3:00 pm is the best time to take a nap, since that’s the natural low-energy time of the day. Many of us respond to that natural energy dip by having a sugary snack, or a combination of sugar and caffeine, such as a cola drink, or coffee and a candy bar. This can give you an immediate boost, but you’re likely to feel more tired later, as sweets cause a quick rise and fall in blood sugar. Try the caffeine nap instead. A nap longer than 30 minutes can backfire, though, and leave you feeling more tired than before.
• · Eliminate possible health problems. If you get eight hours of sleep, but you still feel tired much of the time, there may be underlying health issues. Anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression can all lead to physical tiredness. Your family doctor can eliminate these possibilities for you – and if it turns out that you are in fact anemic or suffering from another health issue, your doctor can suggests treatments.
• · Take care of yourself. Doctors say that most common fatigue comes not from serious health problems, but from lifestyle issues. Get enough sleep, exercise daily, eat right – enough protein and complex carbs like whole grains and fresh produce, little processed food or high fat and sugar foods – and you’re likely to feel much more energetic. With our busy lives, it’s hard to make taking care of ourselves a priority. This can be particularly true for moms. We have a tendency to take care of everyone else and ignore ourselves, but the gain in energy can make the effort worthwhile.

Finally, write out an encouraging verse to read over in those times when you do feel tired:

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

You have to have had your head in the sand for the past several years not to have heard of the ever-growing world of social networking websites such as Myspace, gloryLane, and Facebook. But what are these sites, really? And is there a way that you can use them and the internet in general to enhance your home school environment? Although it is a personal decision, as long as you’re careful the general answer would be yes.

First of all, the most important thing to remember about the internet is that it can be a dangerous, unsavory place, particularly for children. Should you decide to embark on the journey of incorporating today’s technology into your home school curriculum, be sure that you are diligent in monitoring the safety of your students.

That being said, what types of things can you do to bring the world wide web into your classroom?

Social networking sites, such as Facebook or the Christian Networking site gloryLane, are ways in which friends can keep in touch with one another, via cyberspace, and are growing in popularity daily. Many of these sites contain groups and causes you can join, ways to share links with your friends and family, and even games you can play. The games can even be interactive and somewhat educational, such as word games and IQ challenges, which will at least get your child thinking. If properly monitored, these sites can be an excellent way to foster socialization, particularly for the only child in a home school home. But be cautioned, just as there are positive aspects to some of these sites, there are, of course, also dangers. If you allow your child to create an account, be sure that the privacy levels are properly in place, and keep close tabs on what your child is doing when visiting their account.

Chat rooms and forums are another way to communicate with others online. There are countless sites that offer the ability to set up a free account and become a member of their communities, some general, others much more specific to a certain hobby or subject. In fact, there are even several out there dedicated to the world of home schooling. These types of sites can be beneficial to your child by encouraging them to develop and share thoughtful opinions with others and participate in worthwhile discussions. However, just as with the social networking sites, you must do your due diligence in properly monitoring any forum or chat activity that your child is participating in.

Blogs are an excellent way to help your child develop a love for writing. There are multiple websites that offer free blogs to anyone who wants to start one. Allowing your child to establish their own blog will help them to become independent, flex their creativity muscles, and share their thoughts and ideas with anyone who is interested in reading it. And the possible subjects or themes of blogs are endless. Is your child especially interested in ballet? Maybe a particular sport piques your son’s interest. Whatever they are passionate about would make great material for their own blog. What better way to encourage your student to write than to allow them to publish their work online, for the world to see?

As always, you must be cautiously optimistic about today’s changing and developing technological resources, and safety is always the key. Remind your child regularly that it is never ok to share personal information, such as address or phone numbers, with anyone they are speaking to online. If you are careful and diligent about it, the internet can be an excellent tool to add a new dimension to your home school classroom.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

Nobody is immune to the occasional bad day, not even the home school Mom. There will inevitably be those days where frustration and stress sneak their way into your morning and threaten to affect your entire day. So what can you do when things just aren’t going right and going back to bed is the only thing that’s on your mind?

First, you have to recognize when it is happening. What types of things tend to throw your day off kilter and affect your mood negatively? In the world of home schooling, some of the most common issues Mom faces include:

• Uncooperative children
• Overwhelmed – too much planned for one day
• Feeling like you are playing catch-up
• Disorganization
• Illness – you or one of the children
• Outside interruptions

I’m sure each of us could add several more things to that list, but it’s not so much what the issue is as it is how you deal with it.

Once again, I would encourage you to go back to basics. Hit your knees and pray. The Lord loves you and wants to carry your burden for you. But you have to remember to ask Him. His Word reminds us:

“Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we have asked of Him.” I John 4:17

When you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just generally grumpy, the first place you should turn is always the Lord. He will help you to adjust your attitude so you can better do your duties as Mom and home school teacher.

It’s also important to remember that sometimes you can’t do it all. Most of us at some time or another have felt the need to be “super-woman”, be it as a wife, a Mother, a teacher or a friend. But it’s critical to your mental health to remember that you do not have to be, nor can you be, everything to everyone. Sometimes just admitting this can feel like a weight being lifted from your shoulders. If you need to cut back, do so. If you have to take a break, go for it. Remember that you are human, and you are not perfect.

Bad days will come and go, but once you address your emotions and frustrations, you will be able to let them go and go back to being your happy and productive self.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

For families of multiple children who also home school, dealing with the challenges of different age groups and sibling rivalry can be a daily battle. One of the most important and valuable skills we can teach our children is that of teamwork.

The Bible tells us that “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

This means that God wants us to help one another. To build each other up and not tear each other down. So how do we pass this critical lesson on to our children?

Start educating them early. From as young as toddler age, children can be taught to help each other. Tasks as simple as assisting one another at putting away toys can begin to instill a sense of giving in their hearts. This is also the time to reinforce manners such as saying “please” when asking for things, and “thank you” when someone helps them. Remember, encouragement of others is part of teamwork too.

Recommend that your older children help their younger siblings. Perhaps your fifth grader could spend some time helping your third grader with his homework. The time spent doing this will teach your younger child humility, give your older child a sense of accomplishment and build a strong bond between the two of them that won’t easily be broken.

Team building activities are a wonderful way to teach trust and togetherness. Here are a few good ones:

Build a Bridge

The idea is simple - split your group into teams of 2 or 3 (if you have only two, just make them one team) and give each team a “Building Kit” consisting of a shoebox and a variety of building materials such as popsicle sticks, bluetack, paper clips, string, glue, etc, and a bowl of water.  Each group has 30 minutes to build a bridge to span across a bowl of water.

At the end of 30 minutes, each group has to demonstrate their bridge.  You then test it for strength by adding pebbles one at a time, until the bridge collapses.  The team with the strongest bridge wins!

Make sure each group has the same amount of materials, just to keep things fair.

Encouragement Game

Sit in a circle and give everyone a piece of paper and pen.  Each person should write their name at the top of the piece of paper, and then pass it to the person on their left.  Each person then writes one or two (or more) positive characteristics about the person whose name is at the top of the paper. After 30-60 seconds, everyone passes the pieces of paper around to their left again.  This continues until everyone has written on everyone else’s paper.

A typical piece of paper would look like this:

Joanne

Kind
Thoughtful
Always thinking of others
A good cook!
etc.

The final step is that everyone receives their piece of paper back again.  It works best if you collect them and hand them out one at a time, so everyone can see people’s reaction seeing the positive comments about themselves.  You may even choose to have each child read their own list out loud.

Done well, this is an incredibly affirming game and can be a night that people literally remember for years to come.

As an added benefit, these activities also foster critical thinking and writing skills, thus reinforcing some of their daily school lessons as well.

Helping your children to learn the value of teamwork will provide them with an invaluable attribute that will serve them throughout their whole life. It will also help make your home a peaceful one.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

Are you homeschooling a shy child? Homeschooling can allow a shy child to learn more, since the presence of boisterous, outgoing kids can make the school setting uncomfortable. A shy child in a classroom full of bold children may not speak up when she misunderstands or give an answer when a question is asked. She may be overlooked by teachers or feel isolated from fellow students. In a homeschool setting, a quiet child’s abilities may shine better than in a school setting.

At the same time, it’s natural for parents to feel concerned. Are we limiting our child’s social development by keeping him from being forced to overcome his shyness? Should we cater to that shyness, or do we need to make extra efforts to make our child come out of her shell?

First, we should recognize that shyness is an aspect of a person’s temperament. We may think of a shy child as timid or frightened, as poorly socialized, or lacking in the ability to get along with others. In fact, the child we call shy may merely be an introvert. Some psychologists describe introverted people as those who gain energy from being alone, which is completely different from being timid or afraid of other children.

Separating timidity from introversion can help us to help our children outgrow timidity without failing to appreciate their natural temperament.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” A feeling of love toward others, an awareness of God’s power supporting us, and self-discipline to be brave in new situations can help a timid child.

1 Thessalonians tells us, “And we urge you… encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” We can encourage our shy children when they’re timid, and give them time alone when they need to recharge their emotional batteries.

One surprising help for shy kids is a study of manners. Knowing for certain that we are doing exactly the right thing in a social setting allows us to feel more confident and less self-conscious. We can have that spirit of power, and think about others with love, instead of worrying that we might be using the wrong fork or speaking out of turn.

Enjoy learning about manners in different countries or customs of different times, and practice good manners at the family dinner table. The social graces give confidence, and make your children welcome in all situations.

For some shy children, having more information about a situation ahead of time makes it more comfortable. Saying, “We’re going to go to the library for story time and we’re going to meet Gabriel and his mom there, and then we’ll go to the park to play for a while before we come home” lets your child feel prepared for the interaction, Allowing her to play on the edge of a group of children, to stay with you for a while before joining in a game, or to leave the game when she needs some down time are other ways to help her enjoy play dates.

With understanding, preparation, and encouragement, we can provide a rewarding environment for our shy children.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

The days when every home had an encyclopedia are past. The days when new computers came with an encyclopedia on CD-ROM are just about past. And yet, there are times when we need reference works for our homeschools.

For one thing, it can be faster to go directly to a reference work, whether paper or online, and look things up than to use a search engine and sort through the search results. Using the same reference work repeatedly over a period of time increases your speed with that book, too, as you learn how to use it well.

For another, the internet is a free and open system, and not every source of information is equally up to date and authoritative. Even checking the spelling of an item can give us false information – or information that isn’t false, but is just inappropriate. The British and American spellings of English words are both correct, but they’re not both appropriate in all situations. A quick Google search can leave you with the wrong information for your purposes, where using a trusted reference work can get the data for you without interrupting your workflow.

So what reference works should your schoolroom contain?

• A dictionary Having a physical dictionary on hand for quick spelling checks and double-checking a word is a big help, especially if you don’t always do your schoolwork at the computer or even in the house. A good dictionary will also include punctuation and grammar rules that can be very hard to find quickly online. Think, too, about bookmarking some specialized dictionaries: a science dictionary, a visual dictionary (these consist of labeled pictures showing the names of all the parts of a complex item or scene), a picture dictionary for young children, and translating dictionaries for languages you study are some examples of useful specialized dictionaries.
• A thesaurus The thesaurus is frequently misused. Since these reference books just give a list of related words without specifying the nuances of meaning that make them different from one another, thesauri are not good for learning new words. They’re great for reminding students of words when they need to add some variety to their writing, or for helping kids find other options when they can’t think of just the right word. Go for an online version, and encourage kids to use the dictionary to get a clearer idea of the exact meaning of a word.
• An atlas An out-of-date map or atlas is worse than no map or atlas at all, so this is another case is which online resources can be great. Just make sure to check when they were most recently updated. A historical atlas shows where the borders of countries used to be, and where groups of people lived in the past. This can be an extremely helpful resource, but finding this data online can be very time-consuming. Consider buying a hard copy of this resource.
• A gazetteer A gazetteer is a geographical reference, giving information about places around the world. While you’ll probably rely on your history textbooks and online resources for most of the names and dates you need to look up, having a gazetteer either on your bookshelf or bookmarked can be a big help in quickly identifying the places that show up in your history and social studies lessons.
• A Bible Concordance You may prefer to bookmark this essential reference, since online versions often allow comparison of multiple translations, and quick navigation from one verse to another.

Beyond these basics, you’ll probably find that there are some particular works you need because of the kinds of study you do. Whether it’s a Chilton’s guide to a car you’re working on, an HTML desk reference, or a collection of great quotations, anything that you look up several times each week deserves to be on the bookshelf or in your favorites list on the computer.

Not only will you have the references on hand when you need them, but you’ll also be teaching your students how to check information quickly, and the value of doing so. This is a long-lasting advantage.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

Graphs can make information immediately understandable – but only if you can read them. Reading graphs is an important skill our students need, and making graphs is a great way to get that understanding completely solid. Having students make graphs is also a great way to check and see whether your students have fully understood the information they’ve learned.

What kinds of graphs are most useful?
• Bar graphs show information as bars of varying heights. They can give a very clear picture of how one thing compares with another. The populations of different countries, the heights of plants grown under different conditions, and the prices of different but comparable items are good examples of things that can be shown with bar graphs.

Bar Graph

• Line graphs are best for showing how things change over time. Points are connected with a line which goes up or down across dates, giving a quick impression of increase or decrease. Line graphs are good for showing things like growth of a population over time, changes in the numbers of people playing a particular sport, or rising and falling prices.

Line Graph

• Pie charts or circle graphs show how one thing is divided up. A pie chart lets you see what proportion of deaths in a war were from battle wounds, or what percentage of time in a school day is spent on the computer.

Pie Chart

• Venn diagrams are circles representing different groups of things. One circle is laid over another to show what the two groups have in common and where they differ. A Venn diagram can show, for example, that both Canadians and people in the United States are North Americans, but that Canadians have two national languages and the U.S. has one.

Venn Diagram

Here are some ways to practice making and using graphs:
• Take one set of facts and show it with several different kinds of graphs. Decide which graph does the best job of showing that information. Do this each time you learn new information for a week or two, and see whether your students can make generalizations about what kinds of graphs are best for which purposes.
• Have students find graphs in books, magazines, or online references, and write paragraphs explaining exactly what each graph shows.
• Graph data over a period of time. Weather, growth of the kids in the family, number of books read, or number of miles walked are examples of data sets that work well for graphing. Notice how much easier it is to see the patterns in the information with graphs than with daily notes.
• Try making graphs that compare different sets of information. For example, you could make a graph showing the football scores for a favorite team this season and last season, and then add three more teams for comparison. See whether at some point, as you add information sets, it makes sense to change to another kind of graph.
• Make an art project of a graph. Use icons, collage, or other creative additions to make your graphs visually interesting.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

Almost all of us could sing (or at least holler) a line or two from the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It’s the one that goes, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” But not all of us know the whole story of this wonderful piece of music.

At this time of year, you can probably find a live performance of Handel’s Messiah in your neighborhood, or on TV. It’s about two and a half hours long, which is a good length for older students, but may be too long for younger children. For the littlest ones, you might prefer to listen to a recording of just a few parts of the whole work.

Georg Frideric Handel wrote his Messiah in just twenty-four days after reading the verses it’s based on: it remains one of the great examples of God’s inspiration in art. The words come primarily from the book of Isaiah. The music was written in 1742. The first performance took place in Dublin in April of that year, and parts of the oratorio are still performed at Easter. Nowadays, though, Messiah is mostly sung at Christmas.

Even if you plan to go to hear a live performance, it is still good to listen and study some of the pieces ahead of time.

“For Unto Us a Child is Born”

For unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given,
And the government shall be upon His shoulder.
And His name shall be called “Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

This section is great for listening practice. There are very few words, but they are repeated in complicated overlapping patterns by all the different singers at different times. Have students take a pencil and paper and check off when they hear particular phrases. For example, you might ask the kids to make a check on the paper each time they hear the word “for” – it stands out well. Older students can listen very closely and say whether they heard male or female (or high or low) voices each time.

In the next section, listen for “shoulder” in the same way. This intensive listening feels like a game, but it helps children develop their attention spans and the habit of close listening.

All the voices then sing “And His name shall be called…” together. Discuss with your students why this might be so important that Handel wanted everyone to sing it strongly together. Read this passage in Isaiah 9:6 together and discuss what it means to say that “the government shall be upon His shoulder.” Remind the children that you have lots of names for them (pet names and nicknames) because they’re so important to you, and in the same way, we have lots of names for Jesus. The Old Testament book of Isaiah uses many of these beautiful names.

“And the Glory”

And the glory, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

This song, with words from Isaiah 40:5, is a joyful celebration of the arrival of the Christ Child, and a wonderful verse to learn during Advent when we wait to repeat that celebration ourselves.

Reinforce listening practice by listening for the loud and soft parts of this section of Messiah. This is an important first step in music education, and a useful thing for kids to know in their daily lives, too. Have the children lift their hands way up on the loud parts and push them down for the soft parts. For the dramatic silence near the end, hands should be on the table or the floor.

Older students can listen for specific instruments in the orchestra as they play. Have them list the instruments they hear.

“Hallelujah”

Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah!
The kingdom of the world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

This section is as close as Messiah gets to having a part you can sing along with, so go ahead and sing along. Then look at some of the difficult words: “hallelujah,” “omnipotent,” “reigneth,” and “reign.” Have your students write the message out in their own words.

If you attend a live performance of Messiah, you may encounter two interesting customs that go along with the “Hallelujah Chorus.” First, people often stand up to listen to it. The story goes that King George was so excited the first time he heard it performed that he spontaneously stood up. Since no one was allowed to sit down while the king was standing, the whole theater full of people stood, too, and now it’s the custom to do so.

The other interesting custom associated with this song is that of allowing the people in the audience to come up and join in with the final chorus. Sometimes you can even buy a copy of the music in the theater so you can sing along.

Whether you enjoy the Messiah in a concert hall, on a CD, or on YouTube, your children will benefit from sharing in this important piece of our cultural and religious heritage.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12 online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.

As Christmas approaches, our homes can get busy and our kids can get restless. Instead of giving lessons short shrift, take this opportunity to review what you’ve learned so far this school year, using a Christmas Around the World theme.

Before you begin, find a world map: a wall map, an online map to print out, or a map made by your students can all be great choices. Whenever you work on a new country, have your children find that nation on the map, and mark it with a map pin or sticker. This will give you a good geography review as you go along.

Start in Mexico, where Las Posadas is an important part of the Christmas celebration. This is a sort of parade, in which people reenact the journey of Mary and Joseph, knocking on the door to ask for a place to stay and being told there is only space in the stable. The reenacters are then invited in, and a party is held. Make a piñata for your party from papier mache formed over a blown-up balloon, serve hot chocolate, and sing Christmas carols. This is a great way to have an easy party with fellow homeschool families. During the preparations, use math skills to plan and carry out the refreshments and decorations, review the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, and practice Spanish if you’ve been studying it.

Christmas in England has influenced our American celebration of Christmas enormously. Christmas trees became popular in the United States after Queen Victoria’s German husband introduced the custom to England. Many of our special foods, Christmas hymns, and the custom of Christmas cards also came to us from England. But one of the best ways to incorporate an English Christmas into our lessons is to read or listen to A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Whether your children are ready to read the book aloud to the family, or more of an age to watch The Muppets Christmas Carol on TV, they can enjoy this story. If you’re reading it, keep a list of new vocabulary words you meet in the book, and have the kids look them up in the dictionary.

Next stop on the Christmas Around the World journey: Finland. Practice writing friendly letters by writing letters to Santa Claus at Santa, c/o Arctic Circle, 96930 Rovaniemi, Finland. (If Santa Claus is not part of your holiday tradition, let your students help with Christmas cards, or write to grandparents about what they’re learning.) In Finland, an important Christmas custom is a thorough cleaning of the house. When your students need a break from concentrating on writing, get some good exercise with vigorous housecleaning and return to your studies with renewed energy. Another Finnish custom is to feed the birds the first thing on Christmas morning, before the people in the house eat or any presents are opened, Use this custom to talk about putting others first, as Jesus told us to do, and to review any studies you’ve done about birds.

Onward to France, where Christmas is observed with santons, figures of people from the community who are grouped around the crèche, which is the manger scene of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Review your lessons on community helpers or careers, and make santons from clay or paper to add to your manger scene. France is also the home of the Buche de Noel, a famous Christmas cake made in the shape of a log. Frost a jelly roll to look like a log, review your lessons on plants or trees, and talk with your children about how the plants we associate with Christmas show a picture of Jesus. Those green plants remind us of the way Jesus triumphed over death by His resurrection, and of our own rebirth in Him. This, you can explain, is why we bring trees into our homes at Christmas: to remind ourselves and others of our eternal life through our savior Jesus.

In Ghana, on the west coast of Africa, children walk through the streets in the evening singing carols and calling, “Christ is near! Christ is near!” They dress in splendid costumes and sometimes even dance to the music of brass bands. Christmas in Ghana is a combination of church celebrations and visiting friends and relatives in nearby towns. Homes are decorated with bright paper ornaments. In Ghana, few families have the kind of material abundance that we are used to. Presents, for families that can afford them, are usually shoes or school books. Take this opportunity to talk with your children about the differences in material wealth from one country to another, and to remember that Jesus tells us to help and pray for those who have less than we do. This is also a time to remember that Christmas is not about presents and fancy decorations, even though we enjoy those things, but about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

An Australian Christmas is a summer holiday. Families go camping and have barbecues on the beach. Review the seasons and how the rotation of the earth causes them while you learn about Australian Christmas customs. Other appropriate science topics would be the kinds of animals God has placed in different habitats, and the differences between marsupial and placental mammals. A beautiful custom in Australia is the candlelight carol service. People in cities come out into the center of town with candles to sing Christmas carols together. In Australia, where a relatively high proportion of people live alone, loneliness is as much as problem at Christmas as poverty. Pray with your children about someone you know who might be lonely this Christmas.

With these ideas, you can work on science, math, reading, writing, and social studies, even as you enjoy the preparations for this wonderful holiday.

One of the concerns homeschoolers hear from other people, often including our extended family members and well-meaning friends from church, is that our children won’t have the opportunities for socialization that kids receive in public schools. This is a sincere concern, and giving it a serious answer can not only reassure our friends and family, but also help to correct misunderstandings about homeschooling.

First, where does this idea come from? Year-round public schooling in America became widespread and powerful in the 1920s, following the passage of compulsory schooling laws in the early years of the 20th century. Before that time, many children still learned at home, or in short spells of schooling with itinerant teachers. Others traveled to private seminaries and preparatory schools. The idea that all children would and should attend public schools came up for two main reasons.

First, the flood of immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century caused people to worry that the UnitedStates would lose its shared language and culture. If immigrant children continued to learn at home, they would speak only the languages of their parents, and not learn English. Second, the rise of factories gave Americans the feeling that an assembly line and the one-size-fits all approach was the most modern and efficient way to do everything, including educating children.

Public schools are still a good way for newly arrived immigrants to learn the language and culture of their new homeland. We’ve learned, on the other hand, that an assembly line approach isn’t necessarily the best way to teach children.

In either case, the idea that our children need schools for socialization is a hangover from those days, a time of different ideas and circumstances from our own. Supposing that your children come from a home where English is spoken. What kind of socialization will they get in a public school?

First, they’ll spend most of their time with others their own age. A homeschool student has the opportunity to watch and learn from adults and older siblings, to help and care for younger children, and to see how people of all ages interact in a natural way. In public schools, children may be almost completely segregated by age.

Second, they’ll spend most of their time in a strongly hierarchical setting. In a school, students in upper grades may feel that they have higher status and more importance than younger ones, and they may show that feeling in their behavior toward the little ones. Teachers may struggle to stay in control of their classes, shouting or threatening to keep the upper hand. Teachers are ruled by the principal, and the principal may bow to the school board. Students are often conscious of this pecking order. At home, the loving family strives to follow the model Christ gave the church. We may not always succeed, but we have a stronger starting point.

Third, they’ll be in a secular, worldly environment. The Apostle Paul gave a wonderful example of how to get along with different kinds of people. God wants us to be able to do that. God’s word doesn’t teach us that it’s essential for us to make sure that our children dress like the current pop stars, memorize the story line from the most popular TV show, or yearn for the latest materialistic fads. Yet this is often the center of social life at school.

Homeschool social groups, Sunday School, art classes, music lessons, and community sports teams all give opportunities for kids to interact with other kids and become comfortable in groups. A few hours a week, along with free play time with siblings and neighbors, is enough of that kind of socialization for our children. Otherwise, learning the excellent lessons the Bible has for us about how to behave toward other people is the best possible socialization.

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Mimi Rothschild is the Founder of LearningByGrace.org the nation’s leading provider of online PreK-12
online Christian educational programs for homeschoolers.