Julie Naturally
healthy, natural living for Christians
In my homeschooling journey, we read a LOT of books. We use other things, too, such as videos or YouTube channels, field trips, hands-on projects and handicrafts, classes, and nature. But, until high school (and even then, only for specific subjects), we don’t use textbooks. However, it is really hard to find good living books …
It’s in a kids nature to run around and explore the outdoors. I see this in my two year old granddaughter every day. She can’t wait to get outside. She wonders at anthills, the whispering trees, soaring birds, cackling squirrels–all of it. It offers no end of delights. But, we can extinguish a love for …
As I discuss in my guide to Christian unschooling, one of the necessary ingredients to successful unschooling or natural learning is resources. While I have done the urban homesteader thing, my kids weren’t always active participants. They also had interests of their own that didn’t involve vegetables, herbal remedies, or fermenting. And that’s where monthly …
Immersion learning is often affiliated with learning a new language. You learn how to speak the language by living among those who are native speakers. This is how infants learn to speak. But, immersion learning also occurs in other settings. We learn to cook by cooking. We learn to drive by driving. And, so on. …
Now that we can get outside and enjoy nicer weather, our spirits rise. But, what do we do outside? There are many benefits to outdoor play, but what if your kids are older? What can they be learning outside? Farmers and gardeners might not have this problem because there’s always something that needs to be …
Now that we can’t go out to museums, it’s time for family-friendly fun indoor activities at home. We don’t want to spend all those hours indoors sitting in front of the computer or television, either. That invites new problems and doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity to create memories and strengthen relationships. Even us homeschoolers …
This month, we tend to focus on productivity, new habits, and optimism about the future. It’s no wonder, then, that January is also International Creativity Month. A new year naturally opens fresh possibilities, new horizons, and novel ideas. But, did you know that many developed countries currently suffer a creativity crisis? Surprising, I know, especially …
Many families I know stop homeschooling their sons when they reach high school. Moms state many reasons for this. I hear, “Well, my son plays baseball and the high school team offers more options for him.” Or, I hear, “My son is into computers and techie stuff. He can get that at the high school …
Are you struggling with how to motivate a teenager in your life? Maybe he sleeps half the day or falls asleep in the middle of your co-op class. Maybe he doesn’t seem to put much effort into his science book and leaves a lot of blanks on the experiment sheet. Perhaps it’s not your son, …
As parents, we naturally enjoy praising our children for good behavior, academic achievement, and other desirable traits. For example, have you ever said any of these things to your child? An Impossible Standard Of course, we want to encourage our children. But, sometimes children develop performance anxiety because of the words we choose when we …
