Education
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15 Ways to Release BIG Emotions
One of the most challenging aspects of parenting is learning to deal with our children’s BIG emotions – and our own. Oftentimes, we label emotions as “bad” or negative – like anger or sadness. But we need to remember that BIG emotions are not BAD emotions. Perhaps you were punished for expressing a BIG emotion as a child, so you learned to suppress those emotions now as an adult. Perhaps you only saw people around you expressing BIG emotions in unhealthy, destructive, or even violent ways – like yelling, cursing, insulting, isolating, threatening, breaking things, punching things or even people. Perhaps you find yourself expressing your BIG emotions in those…
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Beat the “But”
In the wake of COVID, we have had a massive influx of parents and children that are considering alternatives to public and private school for the first time. Many parents and children want to homeschool, BUT it’s easy to get caught up in our reasons and excuses as to why we think we can’t. As peaceful parents, the only “butt” we beat is the B-U-T. So, let’s confront some of the biggest “BUTS” when it comes to homeschooling. I want to homeschool, but… I don’t know how to teach I don’t know if I can teach them ___________. I cannot afford it. I don’t want my kids to miss out.…
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Top 25 Worldschooling Books
Whether you are exploring peaceful worldschooling, new to the adventure, or been worldschooling for decades, these are some of the amazing books that can provide inspiration and motivation for you on your journey! The 5-Hour School Week by Kaleena Amuchastegui The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto Free to Learn by Peter Gray Gospel-Based Parenting by Angela Harders Home Grown by Ben Hewitt How Children Fail by John Holt How Children Learn by John Holt How Children Succeed by Paul Tough Sandra Dodd’s Big Book of Unschooling by Sandra Dodd The Self-Driven Child by…
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The Hidden Cost of Public School
A free public education is anything but free or public. However, most people are not aware of the hidden costs of public school which are actually the most detrimental. Public school costs us: emotionally, physically, personally, relationally, and spiritually. Emotional Cost Public school has an emotional cost. Many studies (see below) have shown that attending school has a negative emotional impact on students. We may tend to downplay the impact of anxiety and depression on our children, but the reality is clear. No one escapes unscathed. Most if not all of us have experienced “test anxiety” at one point or another. Why is that even a thing? How have we…
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Public School is Not Free
Public school is NOT free. I first discovered this when I attempted to enroll my daughter in a Pre-K program in the school district where I taught while living in the neighboring county. “I’m sorry, how much?!” I blurted out while attempting to not spew coffee from my mouth. “Fifteen thousand two hundred and nine dollars,” the lady calmly stated through the phone. $15,209. For my daughter to attend a public Pre-K program. Public school is NOT free. While the average cost per student in the United States is $12,201 according to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau, states like New York pay $23,091 per student to attend public school. While…
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Public School is Not Public
It was 11:55 AM. My alarm was blaring reminding me to pick up my 4-year-old daughter, Sophia, from the bus stop. She was attending our local public pre-kindergarten program for just 2 hours a day for almost two months. Every day, I asked her the same question: “How was your day?” And every day, her answer was the same: “Bad.” “Why was it bad today?” “Because Miss R yelled at us again. She yells at us every day. Mom, do I have to go back there?” As a public school teacher, I had a hard time accepting the fact that my daughter was not enjoying school as much as I…
