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Being the “perfect” homeschooling parents is what most people aspire for. Homeschooling can be extremely intimidating. However, the truth is, no matter how hard you work, you can never be perfect. Our goal should only be to do what we can do best for our children. Here is a list of six homeschool do’s and don’ts that a lot of us who homeschool should keep in mind.

1.  Never beat yourself down and feel like a failure when taking help! It’s completely okay to ask for support and help when you are in need of it. In case you don’t have any local support groups or friends, take to the internet. There are so many forums that can help you.

2.  Never take a mistake too seriously. There is no one in this world who does not make mistakes. Don’t feel that you cannot do as good a job as a school teacher. The truth is, the best of school teachers have no advantage over you. In fact, no one can teach your child better than you yourself.

3.  Never think that private or public-school education does not have “gaps.” It is impossible for any school in this world to teach a child everything there is for them to know or learn!

4.  Do not be unsure about your decision on what to teach your children. The teachers who decide what private and public-school students must learn are humans like you! They simply base their decisions on their best judgment about what children should and should not be taught. However, there is no “one size fits all” formula. Teaching a child according to their personality and interest is a lot better than the generic approach of the schools. They do not have the freedom and flexibility that you have because they have hundreds of students to teach, and it is almost impossible to cater to every child. However, you can do that.

5.  Never pressurize yourself to follow the same routine as private or public schools. Every homeschool parent has interruptions. Things don’t always go as planned. You may not be able to finish every subject every day. But that is completely okay. Give yourself a break from time to time.

6. Always have fun with your children. Don’t be too strict and structured with your children. Put fun into your curriculum. Take out time for relationship building. In fact, homeschooling is not just important because it helps provide good education but it is also important because of the chances it gives parents to build strong relationships with their children.

Women are known to be excellent multitaskers- we can raise children, earn money, maintain our houses, and do so much more. However, when it comes to hair-styling, we normally get stuck in that one uninspired look! This is particularly true for stay at home mothers and girls who are being homeschooled.

Here are some DIY hairstyles that will not take all morning to pull off and will add excitement to a homeschooling day:

Classic Ponytail with a twist:

This is easy to do hairstyle that does not require touchups and can last for the whole day.

How to do it:                                                    

·         Take a flat iron and straighten the lower half of your strands. Also, set aside a 1-1.5-inch section close to your nape. This section will be used later to wrap around your ponytail.

·         Brush your hair and tie them with an elastic band (make a ponytail).

·         Now take the section you had left out and wrap it around the elastic band. Once done, use a pin to secure the ends of the twisted hair underneath your ponytail.

The chic half tied look:

For this look to work, you will need a lot of volume at your crown. So, start by backcombing the top of your hair. Then gently use a bristle brush to smooth down the top layer of your strands. 

How to do it:

·         Once you’re done with the backcombing, comb your hair into a half tie and hold it in your hand. Then start twisting your hair to the right till they feel tight. Now, secure them in place by using two bobby pins at the base (criss-cross them). You can also push them up a little before pinning them, this helps generate volume. 

·         To finish off the look, use some hairspray.

Sleek Bun:

There is no hairstyle that oozes “formal” like a sleek bun. Here is how to do one in less than 10 minutes,

How to do it:

·         Start off by wetting your hair and creating a deep side parting.

·         Once done, apply a generous amount of hair gel and spread it evenly across your strands. Also, while your strands are still wet, brush them into a ponytail and tie them up with an elastic band.

·         Now twist your pony (starting from top to bottom) and wrap the twist around the base to make a bun.

·         Tuck, the ends of the twisted ponytail under the bun with bobby pins and you’re done.

Faux-bob

We’re sure you’ve seen several celebs flaunt this style. However, you will need to be layered, curly hair to do this look.

How to do it:

·         Start by picking up small portions of your hair and pinning them up at mid-hair length, under the top layer of your hair.

·         Once done, use a strong hold gel or spray to keep your hairstyle from coming off.

·         Once done, you’re good to go

From beginners to advance, homeschool math curriculum comes in numerous different levels. One may also choose to purchase homeschool packages through the internet. Here is what you can do to make the process easier.

Go through the world wide web for different math homeschool curriculum packages. Make sure you check several websites to see which one offers the best price. The research may take time but will be extremely beneficial for you in the long run, helping you save money. However, make sure the site you buy from is trustworthy.

The truth is, the thinking of a child is very different when compared to an adult. There is a requirement, from seven years to eleven years, for the student to not be taught abstractly but concretely. A concrete and basic math curriculum then, is certainly the most successful! It helps in building a friendly relationship with the subject.

It is important to teach students holistically, wherein all pieces of information should fit together properly and sensibly. When Math is taught in an understandable way (for instance, images of geometry in nature such as hexagon in a snowflake, spiral in a sunflower, and the like), the math curriculum will seem very easy and natural.

Beginning a kindergarten journey is one of the biggest transitions a child goes through. There are excitement and apprehension. It is very important for homeschooling parents to comfort anxious feelings and make learning a more positive experience. There is no doubt that it is our job as homeschooling parents to try to encourage emotional, physical, and mental readiness within the child.

Being ready physically:

Physical readiness is a big aspect that most parents ignore. It is important to have good motor skills. Children must be able to manipulate and hold a marker, pencil, or crayon. They must know how to draw, color and scribble on paper to be able to get used to holding any tool for writing. They must also know how to cut using child-safe scissors.

Activity:

Give your child ample opportunity to participate in such activities, which do not just add to the fun but also enhance the child’s control and familiarity with writing tools. Other gross motor skills that your child should develop before entering kindergarten are climbing, running, and jumping. Such skills can easily be incorporated into games that teach understanding directions. A great game that offers physical activity will teach the significance of listening to vocabulary such as above, on, under, over, etc.

Emotional readiness:

Emotional readiness includes learning manners such as thank you and please. It is also important for you to teach children about fairness and that the significance of following rules and taking turns.

Several research studies have been carried out that point towards the notion that early life experiences have the ability to influence brain development in little children. Increased support from the mothers during preschool years is linked to the more rapid development of the hippocampal area of the brain. Those children who get high maternal support experience two-fold increase in their growth rate in comparison to children who have lower levels of maternal influence and support.

There have also been studies that have shown that increased levels of impulsivity were connected to decreased growth in certain regions of the neocortex and enhanced growth in some subcortical brain regions. Adversity during childhood influenced the growth patterns in brain areas that are thought to contribute towards impulsivity, and such growth patterns are connected to the development of behaviors that can be regarded as antisocial. These studies strongly recommend that environmental effects on young children have direct effects on brain maturation, which, again, are linked to certain patterns of behaviors.

Brain development and emotional stimuli:

Studies depicting the correlation between emotional stimuli and brain development help in increasing our understanding of the relationship between the environment, neurodevelopment, specific behaviors, brain structures, and the like. Neuroimaging methods offer sophisticated methods that are important in advancing our perception of abnormal and normal brain development. Apart from this, these tools will prove crucial in predicting hazards for the development of numerous clinical disorders and in understanding the influence of intervention programs in little children at high risk for psychological illness.

A lot of psychiatric disorders are connected to abnormal brain development. The more a parent learns about the causes of abnormal development of the brain, the greater the probability that better cures may be developed.

Science offers a practical way of answering important and interesting questions about the technological, physical, and biological world. The information it produces is a reliable basis for action in our social, personal, and economic lives. It is a collaborative, dynamic, and creative human endeavor that arises from our need to make sense of the world around us, through investigating universal mysteries, exploring the unknown, solving problems and making predictions.

Science Curriculums: how should they be developed?

Curriculums should be developed in such a way that they offer students the opportunities to gain an understanding of important science concepts and processes, practices used for developing scientific knowledge, the contribution of science towards our culture and society, and its practical applications. The curriculum should help in supporting students to gain scientific information, skills, and understandings to make informed decisions about global, national and local issues.

Science curriculum for grades K–12 must cover the earth, life, and physical sciences and technology. The meticulous development and research process of the science programs must include field-testing and trial teaching with ethnically and geographically diverse student populations. Such a process ensures that the method of learning contained in each unit is in relation to current scientific thinking, and are age-appropriate for learners.

The curriculum must meet all educational standards and should be constantly changing as the need arises.

Content Structure:

The content structure must vary according to the learning level of the student. However, some of the things that should be covered, include,

Biological sciences- understanding living things including,     plants, microorganisms, animals and human beings.

Chemical sciences- the main concept that is developed within this topic is the physical and chemical properties of substances. Students learn to classify substances on the basis of their properties, such as liquids, solids, and gases, or according to their composition, such as compounds, elements, and mixtures.

Earth and space sciences- The main concepts touched in this strand are the solar system, galaxy and the various scales linked to space.

Physical sciences- the two main concepts that are highlighted in this strand include- forces have the ability to affect an object ’s behavior; and energy can easily be transformed and transferred from one object to another.

Most reputed curriculum providers offer a state-of-the-art curriculum that comes with digital lessons with video-based projects, animations, and simulations. Every page and each click is an opportunity for a student to think critically, gain knowledge and make educated decisions.

The thought of homeschooling a high school student is nerve wracking for most parents. However, you will be surprised to find that it is not as frightening as you think it to be. Here are a few tips that can help you get started!

1. Planning

To make sure your journey is smooth, start with a lot of planning! Start looking at high school curriculums as early as possible. Keep your eyes open for anything related to high school homeschooling from as early as 7th grade.

2. Electives

A big part of high school is electives. Electives help children in exploring subjects that are outside of their core subjects. Start by creating a detailed list of electives options for your child. Sit down with your teen and try to narrow down the list by choosing the ones that will really suit their interests, fulfill their high school requirements, and will help them in the future.

3. Organization/ Management

It’s not just you who has to be organized, but you must also help your teenager learn to manage and organize themselves. During their teenage years, part of their schooling and growing up is to learn to handle their own lives. You can guide your children during high school to help them become self-reliant.

4. Curriculum

As our children get older, we get a better sense of what kind of things will and will not work for them. Teens must also be involved in choosing their curriculum and deciding what they should learn.  With your supervision, your teen can take charge and gain control over their learning process.

5. Patience

One of the biggest virtues every parent needs to have is Patience! Teenage years are rough enough! If you add homeschooling your teen, there may be days you may just want to call it quits! You will have your bad days. It is important to keep the bigger picture in mind.