Category: Parenting

Curriculum, Curriculum Resource, Family, High School, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, Homeschool Planner, Homeschool Record Keeping, Middle School, Parenting, Teaching Resources

How Homeschool Records Saved Me When I Needed a Transcript Fast

Little Learner and Mom

We received Homeschool Records for our honest review!

Recently I was asked to provide a transcript for my son in order for him to apply to a prestigious academic program. I was so relieved that I had already been using Homeschool Records to track his academics through his 7th/8th grade year, especially since he did a hybrid school year last year and is again this school year for 8/9th. Having his records already organized meant that I wasn’t scrambling to piece things together at the last minute. You may also recall I reviewed Homeschool Records last year. We are still using it and I am so glad we are.

When I needed to produce his transcript, Homeschool Records was a life-saver. With just a click of a button, I was able to generate a professional, impressive transcript that looked exactly like what the admissions people expected. No frantic formatting, no last-minute data entry, no worries about how to present hybrid/homeschool credits. I felt confident handing it over.

In-Depth Overview of Homeschool Records

Here’s a deeper dive into how Homeschool Records works, what it offers, and who it best serves.

What Homeschool Records does

  • It’s a web-based platform that allows you to “create, manage & store all your homeschool records in one place” designed especially for Grades 8-12.
  • It covers key record-keeping elements: transcripts & reports, course descriptions, attendance tracking, volunteer/community service hours, reading logs, instructional hours.
  • The workflow: you input your student’s courses (with descriptions, grades, credits) once. Then the system uses that information to automatically build reports, including transcripts.
  • Recently I discovered the new feature of being able to duplicate classes a game-changer for us. For example, when planning the spring term I could duplicate a class from the fall term and just update the grade or status. Huge time saver.
  • Also features like marking a course as “in progress” or “planned” are built in, so the transcript can reflect “this course is ongoing” or “this course is scheduled for next term” which is perfect for hybrid/homeschool students who may have non-traditional sequencing.
  • Sharing courses with other students in your account, this is a great option for multi-family students.
  • The newest launch: a Transcript Evaluation Service — meaning the platform is now offering a review/validation of your transcript to help ensure it meets college/university expectations (in my case, that give me extra peace of mind) small additional fee applies.

Why it was ideal for our context

  • My son’s hybrid school year: Because we were using both homeschool curriculum and hybrid/in-class elements, keeping everything organized was complex. Homeschool Records let me track each component (in-class, homeschool days, online days) under one roof.
  • Middle school into early high school transition: Since we’re moving from 7th/8th grade into higher grades, establishing good records now means less stress later when high school officially begins.
  • Efficiency: I literally spent only minutes entering course descriptions and grades; the heavy lifting (formatting, report generation) was handled.
  • Planning & progress-monitoring: The duplicate-class feature helped me plan ahead and see my son’s progress over time (term to term).
  • Professional look: The transcript output looked clean and credible exactly what is needed when you’re submitting to an academic program that expects high-school-level documentation.
Screenshot

Who would benefit from using Homeschool Records

  • Homeschooling families whose students are entering high-school years (Grades 8-12) and may need transcripts for college, programs, scholarships.
  • Hybrid homeschool families (mix of in-person, online, homeschool days) who want one place to track all academic work.
  • Homeschool parents who want minimal fuss: you enter the data and the system does the heavy lifting — ideal for busy parents who don’t want to become transcript-formatting experts.
  • Families who want to plan ahead: Being able to mark planned/in-progress courses means you can build a roadmap from middle school through high school, making sure you’re on track.
  • Those wanting professional documentation: For admissions, scholarships, evaluations a polished transcript matters, and this platform delivers.

Exciting New Dual Enrollment Feature

And now, Homeschool Records has taken it a step further with the new Dual Enrollment Planner! This feature helps families seamlessly track and organize college-level courses taken during high school, including credits, grades, and institutions. It ensures your student’s dual enrollment experience is clearly documented and professionally displayed on their transcript something that really catches the eye of admissions officers.

The Breakdown

One of the biggest concerns for homeschool parents is creating a strong high school transcript one that truly reflects your student’s hard work and individuality.

What I’ve found with Homeschool Records is that it keeps me accountable for everything curriculum, credits, track volunteer hours, extracurricular activities, electives, and even helping my son build his student resume.

Colleges today want to see more than just academics. They’re looking for well-rounded individuals, and Homeschool Records helps make that possible. Their professional transcripts have just the right pop of color, helping your student’s transcript stand out from the typical black-and-white ones that often get lost in a stack.

One of my favorite features is the ability to add detailed course descriptions when entering classes. This is such a valuable tool! Along with the transcript, you can submit these professional course descriptions to give admission counselors a real understanding of what your student studied and how your homeschool operates.

It’s simply not enough anymore to just meet graduation requirements. Today’s colleges want context and depth they want to know what your student learned and how. After talking with several admissions counselors myself, they all said the same thing: they love when families provide more information about the courses.

Homeschool Records truly takes the worry and anxiety out of transcript creation. It even automatically tracks credits for you! This platform has made the high school documentation process so much easier and far more professional.

My Final Thoughts

If I were to sum it up: Homeschool Records has been one of the best investments we made in our homeschooling infrastructure. Knowing that when that transcript request came, I was ready is priceless. The recent addition of the duplicate-class feature truly made planning for the spring term easier, and the ability to note “in progress” or “planned” courses gives flexibility that’s perfect for the hybrid model.

In short: you (the parent) spend a few minutes entering your child’s information (course name, description, grade, credit, status) and you’re done. The platform handles the rest. It works now as a tracker for 8th grade, but it’s also a long-term solution for tracking from 8th through 12th grade, making it an excellent system for the next several years of our son’s academic journey. The low cost is worth every dime!!

Family, Family Life, Homeschool, Parenting, We Do Not Care

Prioritizing Self-Care, Mental Health, and Relationships in a New Homeschool Year!

Little Learner and Mom

This new homeschool year has already been one of the most unpredictable and “crazy” ones for our family. The stakes are changing. My son is 12 years old, and while he’s technically in 8th grade, he’s also working through pieces of high school curriculum. That means I’m now carefully keeping stronger records, deciding what deserves high school credit, and making sure not to overload or pad his transcripts. It’s a balancing act pushing forward without rushing him.

August has always been our “soft start” month, but this year I pushed the official count to September. That gave us room to breathe, explore, and transition into our rhythm. We kicked off with interest-led history, coding, and continuing Algebra 1. Later in the month, Honors Biology came into the mix, along with Outschool classes in law, history, literature, and science. We tried new extracurriculars like archery, swimming, community service, and golf, while also carving out time for field trips and family connection.

But here’s what I’ve learned: none of that works unless we prioritize self-care, mental healthy and relationships. That’s what holds everything together.

Hidden Stressors Our Kids Carry

When we think of stress, we often picture adults juggling bills, jobs, and family responsibilities. But our pre-teens and teens carry their own burdens many of which stay hidden. For some, it’s the pressure of transitioning into harder academics. For others, it’s navigating friendships, body changes, or the social expectations that come with growing up.

For Black and Brown children, there can be added stressors cultural identity, navigating stereotypes, and feeling unseen in certain environments. And while every child faces challenges, these unique pressures should not be ignored. At the same time, all children no matter their background need safe spaces where they can breathe, be heard, and just be kids.

Helping Pre-Teens and Teens Handle Stress

One of the best things I did this year was sit down with my son and ask him directly what was stressing him out. Kids don’t always volunteer this information, but once they feel safe, they’ll open up. Together, we made some adjustments:

  • Clear timelines. All assignments are due by Friday at 3 p.m. No hovering every day. No nagging. Just a rhythm he can depend on.
  • Weekly check-ins. Every Sunday, we spend 30 minutes going over the week ahead. If something looks heavy, we adjust.
  • Looping lessons. Instead of forcing every subject every day, we loop them for variety and less overwhelm.
  • End-of-day check-ins. These became one of the highlights of our homeschool. A chance to reflect, connect, and reset.

For personal self-care, my son asked for more downtime in the evenings. We turned his room into a sanctuary gamer theme, collectibles, cozy lights, and even a mini fridge stocked with healthy snacks. He loves his essential oils diffuser, tea lights, and a space where he feels in control. These small changes have given him peace and independence.

Setting Boundaries as a Family

Another big shift we made this year was around screen time and boundaries for all of us, not just my son. Together, we created a homeschool agreement that spelled out expectations for the whole family. Because we wrote it as a family, we’re all holding each other accountable.

And let me tell you, my son is serious about keeping me on track. If I slip, he’ll shut my laptop and remind me that my phone belongs upstairs in my bedroom. I’ve also turned off my social media notifications so I can stay present. Dad has his boundaries too we agreed as a family to respect our homeschool time during the day.

On my side, I rearranged my online teaching schedule to match what works best for us. I also made sure my classes never overlap with his online classes. That way, he knows he’s the priority, and I’m modeling what it looks like to set healthy boundaries.

Self-Care for Mom

As moms, we carry so much—planning, teaching, homemaking, and guiding. But pouring from an empty cup is not sustainable. For me, self-care isn’t optional; it’s survival.

Here’s what that looks like in my day-to-day:

  • Morning tea and quiet reflection. Before the house wakes up, I sip tea, read my Quran, and center myself.
  • Nightly brain dump. I write everything down before bed so my mind can rest.
  • Pampering routines. My new shower routine feels indulgent, but it’s also grounding.
  • Fresh air breaks. When the weather cools, I plan to spend more time on the porch with tea in hand.
  • Reading for joy. Not just audiobooks while multitasking, but truly reading, laughing, and enjoying stories.
  • Creative outlets. Journaling, scrapbooking, and planning bring me peace and creativity.
  • Music Playlist. I created a “Mental Reset” playlist on Amazon Music, so everyone in my house knows when they hear me ask Alexa to play it…..Mom needs some space.
  • Declare 1 hour of mom time daily!!!!!

Self-care doesn’t need to be extravagant it just needs to be intentional. Even one small change can bring more harmony into the home.

Level Up & Legacy Talks

One of the best new traditions we started is our Level Up & Legacy Talks. During this time, we read books like Letters to a Young Brother by Hill Harper, talk about culture, mindset, and growing up, and check in with each other. My son calls it his favorite part of the week. These talks are helping him build confidence, identity, and vision for his future. We a few books we are going to rotate through, but we are starting with this one and will move on to a new one soon.

And this year, we’re including Dad more too. When he’s available, he joins our homeschool day for Socratic conversations. It’s been powerful for all of us.

Why This Year Feels Different

We’re still sticking with a few Oak Meadow Grade 8 its we are wrapping up, but we’ve added in their Personal Finance and Geography courses. Last year, my son loved Oak Meadow Civics, and this year we’re wrapping up what we didn’t finish. Balancing 8th grade with some high school-level work feels new and intense.

Homeschool Kids Aren’t Social?

I wish whoever started this rumor would go somewhere and have several seats. My kid is beyond socialized he keeps my planner filled with all his activities and events. He may not be “scheduled” in the traditional sense, but I’ll say this I actually have to send his dad a monthly itinerary just to keep track of everything!

For this upcoming year alone, he’s been invited to join Junior Beta and a formal Debate Team. Our homeschool co-op will be packed with fun and adventures, and come November, he’ll officially be part of the Teen Collective he’s counting down the days! He’s also joining the Homeschool Honor Society and has received formal mentorship invitations from both Georgia Tech and UGA.

Fun Times with Friends!!

On top of that, we’ve got two big trips planned in October and December, and in January we may be heading to Rome, Italy, to present at the same conference we spoke at earlier this year.

2025 International School Choice Reform Conference

That’s why self-care for both of us has become a top priority. Stay tuned for our full 2025–2026 Homeschool Curriculum line-up; we’ve got a few surprises in store!!

The Power of Meal Planning

Another form of self-care? Meal planning. It may not sound glamorous, but freeing up that mental energy makes a big difference. Our simple routine looks like this:

  • Monday – Leftovers
  • Tuesday – Tacos
  • Wednesday – Leftovers
  • Thursday – Light (salads, sandwiches)
  • Friday – Pizza Night
  • Saturday – Leftovers or Light
  • Sunday – Big dinner (enough for Monday too)

This routine saves me time, energy, and stress. Even if you only meal prep every other week, it can bring breathing room into your homeschool.

Nobody’s Perfect—And That’s Okay

Homeschooling isn’t about perfection. It’s about finding what works for your family, making small adjustments, and showing up with love. We’re all trying to do what’s best for our kids. Some days will be smooth. Some will be messy. And that’s okay.

A Closing Word for Fellow Moms

This year has already been full of lessons, but the biggest one is this: prioritize your relationships and your well-being just as much as the academics. Because when our kids feel supported and we feel centered, the learning flows more naturally.

To all the homeschool moms reading this I invite you to pause, reflect, and think about what small changes could bring more harmony to your homeschool. Maybe it’s a nightly check-in, a personal self-care ritual, or a simple meal plan. Whatever it is, embrace it. Our families don’t need perfection; they need presence. Here’s to a school year filled with growth, connection, and peace.

Homeschool, Keeping it real, Mom Life, Parenting, Perimenopause, We Do Not Care

Homeschooling Through the Hormone Hurricane: Middle Schoolers, Mood Swings, and the Magic of “We Don’t Care”

Little Learner and Mom

Let’s Be Real: Middle School Is Already a Wild Ride

Homeschooling middle school is not for the faint of heart. Between growth spurts, emotional whiplash, and the “new” version of your kid who woke up this morning suddenly too cool for phonics, it’s a whole job. Now imagine doing all that while you’re riding the hot, unpredictable wave of perimenopause. Y’all. I’m not saying we deserve medals, but give us a trophy shelf at least.

Wait…Is It Me or My Hormones?

If you’ve been homeschooling for a while, you probably know how to spot the signs of burnout: constant fatigue, lack of motivation, crying over your printer jamming (again). But what if those same symptoms aren’t just burnout? What if they’re hormones knocking at the door like, “Surprise! It’s me—Perimenopause.”

Here are a few signs you might be navigating that stage while also being the headmistress of your homeschool:

  • Sleepless nights…even though you’re exhausted.
  • Mood swings that feel like a bad tween novel.
  • Crying at the drop of a pencil (or because you actually dropped a pencil).
  • Forgetting where you put your glasses (while they’re on your head), sipping cold coffee at 2pm, and wondering why you walked into the pantry.

Perimenopause + Middle School = Emotional Gymnastics

Let me paint you a picture: Your middle schooler is having thoughts. Big ones. About the world. About themselves. About why math is pointless and how they should never have to write another paragraph again. Meanwhile, you’re sweating through your third shirt and questioning why you picked any of this year’s curriculum.

At least once a week, I look at our lesson plans and want to toss them in the trash like a salad I knew we weren’t gonna eat.

Cue the “We Don’t Care” Movement

You know what saved me? An Instagram mama @justbeingmelani who boldly started the “We Don’t Care” movement. If you don’t know who she is RUN to her IG!!! The idea is simple and liberating: we’re doing our best and that’s enough. The house isn’t perfect, the lesson didn’t go as planned, the tears fell (mine and his)…and you know what? We don’t care.

Say it loud for the sweaty moms in the back:
We. Don’t. Care.

It’s permission to be human. To stop trying to be the Pinterest-perfect homeschooler when you’re just trying to survive another round of hormone-fueled highs and lows while your kid discovers sarcasm as a second language

How to Manage Perimenopause While Homeschooling (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s the good news you’re not alone, and you can manage this. Here’s how:

1. Check Your Hormones, Sis.. Before you switch curriculums again or rework your entire homeschool plan for the millionth time, check in with your doctor. A blood panel might tell you that what you thought was just burnout is actually a hormonal shift.

2. Create Buffer Days… Build “light days” into your homeschool week less academic pressure, more connection. This isn’t slacking off. It’s smart homeschooling that respects the energy of both teacher and student.

3. Find Your Homeschool People…Surround yourself with mamas who keep it real. You need at least one friend who’ll laugh with you when you’re crying over missing highlighters and who’ll text back “you’re not crazy, this is just hormones and middle school.” or when you having a moment they recognize the moment and listen don’t judge. For all my natural mamas’s I am 100% on board for the natural treatment methods. Just need to get those horomones checked.

4. Eat. Sleep. Move. Repeat.… Basic, I know. But blood sugar crashes, sleep deprivation, and zero movement make hormonal symptoms worse. Drink water like it’s your job. Stretch. Step outside. Take a walk without the kids. Eat the dang salad (unless you’re still mad about that one you threw away).

5. Talk to Your Kids (Yes, Even Your Tween) ….Explain age appropriately what you’re going through. It models self-awareness and gives them permission to speak up about their changing emotions too. Who knew homeschool could be group therapy?

6. Learn Your Triggers…I have been working on how I respond to people. Keeping my cool and not stepping all the way out character. So far I have been doing really well staying calm. Because baby I be ready to let it rip when I am having a moment.

When You See a Fellow Mama Spiraling…

Say something. Gently. With love. Send a text like,
“Hey, are you okay? Or are you on your third coffee and crying over cursive like I was last week?”

Drop off a smoothie. Send a meme. Better yet, offer to co-op one afternoon and give her a break. Because sometimes we need someone else to recognize we’re on the hormone rollercoaster before we do.

Middle School Homeschoolers Don’t Help…But They’re Not the Enemy

Let’s not forget these little hormonal humans we’re raising are going through it too. One minute they’re laughing at fart jokes, the next they’re contemplating the meaning of life at 9:15 AM on a Tuesday while refusing to read the next chapter of their novel study.

They’re pulling away and needing us all at once. They’re learning to think critically, argue everything, and feel deeply about things like snack options. It’s a mess. But it’s also kind of beautiful, if we pause to see it.

Final Thoughts: We’re in This Together

Homeschooling through perimenopause isn’t a joke but laughing about it might save your sanity.

So the next time you’re mid-meltdown with a crying tween, a cold coffee in one hand and a broken dry-erase marker in the other, just remember:

You’re not crazy. You’re perimenopausal.

You’re not failing. You’re homeschooling.

And most of all…

We. Don’t. Care.

We care deeply about our kids. But we don’t care to be perfect. That’s not the assignment.

8th Grade, High School, Homeschool, Homeschool Planner, Homeschool Record Keeping, Parenting

Simplifying Record Keeping for 8th Grade Through High School with Homeschool Records!

Little Learner and Mom

We received Homeschool Records for our honest review!

As a homeschool mom dedicated to providing a comprehensive and well-documented education for my children, I’ve found Homeschool Records to be an exceptional tool for managing our records from 8th grade through high school. This online platform has made the often overwhelming task of keeping track of academic progress and extracurricular activities much more manageable and efficient. Here’s an in-depth look at what Homeschool Records offers and why it stands out as an invaluable resource for homeschooling families.

What is Homeschool Records?

Homeschool Records is an online platform specifically designed to help homeschool families manage their educational records. It provides a centralized location for tracking courses, grades, activities, and standardized test scores, making it easier to compile detailed and accurate high school transcripts.

Key Features

1. Course Management

Homeschool Records excels in its ability to manage and organize courses. This feature allows you to:

  • Course Details: Enter the name, description, and curriculum used for each course. This is particularly helpful for creating detailed records that colleges appreciate.
  • Credit Hours: Assign credit hours to each high school course, ensuring that your student’s workload is accurately represented.
  • Grading System: Input grades for assignments, tests, and overall course performance, which are then automatically calculated into the final grade.

2. Transcript Creation

One of the most significant advantages of using Homeschool Records is its ability to generate professional-looking transcripts. This feature includes:

  • Customizable Templates: Choose from a variety of transcript templates to match the requirements of different colleges or scholarship programs.
  • GPA Calculation: The platform automatically calculates both weighted and unweighted GPAs, ensuring an accurate representation of your student’s academic performance.
  • Printable and Shareable Formats: Easily print or save transcripts as PDFs, making it simple to submit them to colleges, scholarship committees, or other educational institutions.

3. Activity and Award Tracking

Homeschool Records goes beyond academics by allowing you to log extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and awards. This comprehensive record-keeping is essential for:

  • College Applications: Highlighting a well-rounded student profile.
  • Scholarship Applications: Providing detailed documentation of achievements and community involvement.

4. Portfolio Management

The platform also offers tools to create a detailed portfolio that can include writing samples, project work, and other important documents. This feature is especially useful for students who wish to showcase their work during college applications or job interviews.

What Sets Homeschool Records Apart?

  • Ease of Use: The platform is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, even for those who may not be tech-savvy. The straightforward data entry process saves time and reduces stress.
  • Customization: Homeschool Records offers a high level of customization, allowing you to tailor the records to fit your specific needs and preferences.
  • Support and Resources: The website provides tutorials and customer support to help you navigate its features effectively.
  • Data Security: With secure login and data encryption, you can rest assured that your student’s information is safe.

Benefits of a Well-Structured Transcript

Creating a detailed and well-organized transcript with Homeschool Records provides numerous benefits:

  • College Admissions: A professional transcript enhances your student’s college application, presenting their academic record in a clear and polished format.
  • Scholarship Opportunities: Detailed and accurate records can improve your student’s chances of qualifying for scholarships that require proof of academic and extracurricular achievements.
  • Personal Satisfaction: Seeing a comprehensive record of their hard work can boost your student’s confidence and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Homeschool Records is an outstanding tool for homeschool families, especially those with students in 8th grade through high school. Its comprehensive features, ease of use, and emphasis on creating professional transcripts make it an essential resource for managing your homeschool records. By simplifying the process of record-keeping, Homeschool Records allows you to focus more on your child’s education and development, ensuring they are well-prepared for their future academic and career endeavors.

Family, Family Life, Homeschool, Parenting

Beehive App Homeschooling and Parenting Simplified

Little Learner and Mom

We received Beehive App for our honest paid review.

Staying organized is so hard to do. I am always looking for ways to maximize and simplify my time throughout the day. Trying to juggle three people’s schedules, appointments, and homeschool can be quite and undertaking. I do love a good planner, I have several because the seasons in our home change often. Beehive app has been helping me the last few weeks to manage our homeschool and simplify our day.

Beehive App

Beehive is a parenting app designed to simplify the lives of busy parents. With Beehive, you can manage your family’s schedule, create to-do lists, and keep track of important information all in one place. The app is user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy to navigate even for those who are not tech-savvy.

One of the standout features of Beehive is the ability to create and share a family calendar. You can add events and appointments, set reminders, and even invite other family members to join and contribute to the calendar. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and avoids any scheduling conflicts.

Beehive also allows you to create to-do lists for yourself or your family members. You can assign tasks, set deadlines, and even track progress. This makes it easy to stay on top of household chores and other responsibilities.

How It Work for Us

My son takes several online classes throughout the month. While it easy to schedule and pay for these classes, keeping track of them can be stressful. I don’t know how many times I have forgotten about classes and had reschedule them it just lost money. Beehive App has made things a little less chaotic the last few weeks. I have gotten in the habit as soon as I schedule a class for him I input it into the Beehive App and I have been making it a habit to check the app daily.

I am really like the the ability to record my son grades and see the graphed in real time. The added math growth plan is really great because my son has been jumping on when we are between lessons or when he is eating breakfast.

Beehive App Growth Plan

What is unique about Beehive it isn’t just an app for tracking grades, events and memories. The app has practice lessons for your students to complete at their own pace. These lesson are based upon their grade level when you set up your student. After you record six grades into your school section, the app will generate a growth plan activities in:

  • Math
  • Reading
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Social Studies

At the time of this review we are working on the math growth and I am looking forward to seeing the other subjects generate over the next few weeks.

Household Management Simplified

Household management can be a lot of work, especially when you have a busy schedule. Beehive has been a great app for me to able to add events going on with me and my husband. There are so many event topics you can use in the daily activities. The Beehive app is is really convenient when I don’t have my big planner with me when I am out. Beehive app is available in the Apple and Google Play store.

Overall, Beehive is a great app for busy parents who want to simplify their lives and stay organized. With its user-friendly interface and useful features, it’s definitely worth checking out.

4th Grade, Family, Family Life, Homeschool, Homeschool Family, mindfulness, Mom Life, Parenting

Homeschool Rewind!

Little Learner and Mom

It’s been a while since I have just written a blog piece that wasn’t a review in a long time, but 2022 means new things for our homeschool journey. For the last 4 years, we have been eclectic homeschoolers. I bought the curriculums and wrote out elaborate homeschool lessons. Then in October I started to feel burnt out and observed my son was just not his usual cheerful self and we butting heads a lot when it came to getting lessons completed. Seeing my now unhappy 4th grader I started to examine what was going wrong without homeschool.

Unkownglingy after careful observation our homeschool was starting to turn into the one thing I hated and promised myself I wouldn’t do, we were doing “school at home”!!! How did we get here? We weren’t playing games anymore… hands-on learning opportunities were still present but opportunities were few. Then it was the curriculum I had chosen curriculum that wasn’t interesting and just busywork. What had I done to our homeschool? How could I get things back to our happy place?

The first thing I did was sit down with my son and talk with him. I was shocked at how unhappy he was with our current homeschool situation, I promised him that we would get things back on track. Luckily I kept all of my previous planners and I opened them up and started to examine our previous years. After looking over the planners, I ordered a new planner because I wanted a fresh start. I needed to start fresh and our current planner for the school year was a constant reminder to me of what I had done to our homeschool. I looked over our curriculum and took the advice of a good friend on Youtube and made four piles:

  • Summer Review!
  • Stretch for 5th and 6th grade!
  • Donate/Sell!
  • You were nuts buying this!

After doing a curriculum check I had to do a mental check, we desperately needed to include mindfulness back into our homeschool day. I personally was suffering from weekly headaches and anxiety. My son was also starting to show signs of anxiety because we were just not starting our day peacefully but rushing. So I purchased us some new meditation cards, My 52 List Project, and 52 List Calm. I also picked up a few books for executive functioning and a workbook for gifted kiddos.

I also slowed our pace down for doing actual homeschool lessons. We now operate on 3-4 lessons independently and then the ones that require more 1:1 we do in the afternoon. I am making it a point to meal plan again and prepare 3 meals a week that can stretch for 2 days and the 1 day is a fun meal! I pulled out our Kid Stir, Raddish Kids kits and dedicated one afternoon a week lunch to us cooking together. While revamping our homeschool I noticed we had a significant amount of games that still had their wrapper on them. I pulled all those new games out and put them in the forefront.

I looked over our curriculum and noticed we were doing a lot of repetitiveness in lessons. Now I am well aware that there is going to be review in many curricula, but what I saw was we were truly repeating stuff my son had fully mastered. So I am taking a hard look and decided that I would make some big changes for 2022-2023, we would move towards the 5th/6th-grade curriculum. After all, his math was already 5/6th and he is working well above 4th/5th-grade in language arts, geography, history, and science. So why am I boring him to pieces with repetitive lessons he has mastered. I will continue to analyze his lessons and add support where needed. It was time for a major change and to offer him lessons that work for him and that he loves.

I think what help me validate my decision was watching my good friend Erica over at the Melanated and Well Educated 2022-2023 curriculum choices video. My son is a huge Mrs. Erica fan he studied her video and made his own list of things he liked from the video. He also let me know he wants me to get books about anatomy and physiology and cardiac science because he wants to learn all he can about the heart. With the sincerity and excitement in his voice, I knew he was ready to shift his learning. Little J is looking to expand his knowledge beyond the standard curriculums I was considering. He wanted to see even more of his ancestry in his lessons, my child is wanting to be fulfilled and I needed to pour into his cup.

So many changes have taken place these last few weeks that I know will make our homeschool more of what we both want. Be on the lookout for our 2022-2023 Curriculum Choices and Summer Review Choices!

3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, Charlotte Mason, Curriculum, dyslexia, Education, Family, Homeschool, Language Arts, Literature Base, Morning Basket, Parenting, Read Alouds, Reviews, Writing

Brave Writer Arrow: Amari and the Night Brothers Review

Little Learner and Mom

Complimentary product received from Bravewriter!

This year I was confident in my choices for grammar and writing until mid-August when I started to notice my son was less than enthused about his lessons. Observing his lack of enthusiasm I started to think we may need a change. We have used the same curriculum for the last 2 years and he has a pretty solid foundation in grammar, but writing is still a work in progress. I was thrilled when the opportunity to review Brave Writer Arrow Amari and the Night Brothers was made available to our family. So here we are taking the leap and using Brave Writer Arrow and we are loving it.

About Brave Writer

Brave Writer uses a Charlotte Mason-inspired approach to teach grammar and writing. The goal is to continue to strengthen the parent and child bond by creating a safe environment to learn and work at their own pace. Brave Writer programs are designed to be the complete opposite of the traditional learning style of grammar and writing. Brave Writer supports the whole child and lets them be in control of the process with the parent gently leading them. Brave Writer program believes students go through different stages of writing and each stage deserves respect and students should only progress when they are ready for the next stage. The growth stage of writers are :

Jot It Down

Partnerships in Writing

Faltering Ownership

Transition to Ownership

Eavesdropping on the Great Conversation

The growth stages start at ages 5-18 years old and students will work on mechanics and literature through online classes or using one of the product packets such as Arrow.

Arrow

Arrow

Arrow is a digital year-long writing and grammar program for students ages 11-12. Families can purchase the entire year’s bundle and each month you will receive the Literature Arrow guide or you can purchase individually. With your purchase, you will receive the Arrow guidelines and the literature guide. The Arrow guideline teaches you how to present the literature guide. Arrow literature guides cover spelling, literary elements, writing activity, punctuation, and grammar, each monthly lesson is paired with a novel. Each week the lesson directly correlates with the novel. The monthly lessons are divided into 4 weeks, which include vocabulary, dictation, and grammar. The guides also come with discussion questions, a planner, a skills tracker, and book party ideas. There are 10 Arrow guides for a complete school year older guides are available to purchase, but new books are added every year.

We teach both parents and kids how to build a partnership in writing that leads to both creative expression and academic success, all while preserving the parent-child bond.

Brave Writer

Our Review

Amari and the Night Brothers have been on our list to read since it was released so I was super excited to have a literature, grammar, and writing guide to pair with it. At first look, I knew I had to sit down and prepare for working with a non-traditional way of teaching grammar and writing. The biggest issue had was letting go of my thinking of how grammar and writing are taught. Once I was able to release this way of thinking it made the transition easier. My son and I decided we would both read and listen to the book. I really enjoyed the cultural context section it gives background information on the novel, this little information was really nice and helped us better connect to the book because we are actually living 20 mins away from the Atlanta area.

Arrow is really the complete opposite of a traditional grammar and wiring curriculum, I was expecting to see some worksheet practice sheets and a huge writing assignment for this novel. I was blown away because what expected was not what I received. The Arrow guide gives you a quick start that instructs you to read the Arrow Guidelines. The Arrow Guidelines are key to understanding how to implement the Arrow program, not reading these will confuse you about the literature Guide. The guide also gives you sample routines and it is where you will find the Arrow Skills Trackers and Our Week With Arrow.

The Spin and Spiral told me exactly what we were going to be covering in this month’s literature guide. I pulled a couple of extra supplements, just in case. I was blown away by how Brave Writer uses a novel to teach grammar, in a million years I would have never thought to pull passages out of a book and examine the grammar components. My son was introduced to writing and literary elements such as how to indent, first-person narratives, and dialogue, and much more over the 4 weeks. The grammar areas are highlighted in what Brave Writer calls Spotlights, we found the grammar sections a welcomed review of concepts he has covered previously. What I did appreciate is that I was able to identify some areas of his grammar that he needed more practice on.

Students will tackle:

  • Proper Nouns
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Idioms
  • Pronouns
  • Parallel Structure and much more

What I like about Brave Writer is that my son and I were having meaningful conversations about the book and we talked about grammar in a new way that he was really thriving and loving. He asked several times mom can we do Brave Writer over his current language arts curricula. I begin to see both of our frustration and stress levels come all the way down while using Arrow. We went from fighting over getting his lesson done to letting us just talk, drink tea, and enjoy each as we learn.

Dication for us is something new we haven’t done much of this type of writing before so we took things very slow and I assured him that we weren’t in a rush and we are both learning how to do things. I did the first dication for him just to show him how. We did 1-2 sentences at a time so he didn’t feel overwhelmed moving forward. We did modify a few things to make it work for us, we used highlighters to highlight the grammar and literary elements in the literature guide. My son didn’t want to mark up his book and I was okay with this. I also printed my son his own the literature guide, I used mine on my tablet but I did have the Arrow guidelines printed out for myself.

Parent Involvement

By now you may realize that parent involvement is a necessity for the Brave Writer Arrow curriculum. The program does require the parent to be their child’s partner in this process. That brings me to the Brave Writer Partnerships in Writing growing writers stage one of the most overlooked stages according to the Brave Writer website. “Your child shows growing proficiency in handwriting, reading, and spelling, but still finds the hard work of transcription tiring if asked to write for more than a few minutes.” We didn’t receive this to review, but after using the Amari and the Night Brothers Arrow, I feel that this is something we will need in order for us to continue forward with the Arrow curriculum.

Brave Writer Arrow Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

Final Words

We really like Brave Writer Arrow Amari and the Night Brothers, my son has requested to do this over his current language arts curricula. We have put what we were using on the shelf and have moved on to the November 2021 Brave Writer Arrow Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids. I will be looking into Partnerships in Writing for us as well. It has been so nice to have a great month of learning and enjoying our time together making memories. At the time of this review for the full program is $129 or $14.95 per literature guide (includes Arrow guidelines). To learn more about Brave Writer programs please click the banner below to read more of the Melanated Gold Review Squad reviews.

Social Media

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1st Grade, 2nd Grade Curriculum, 3rd Grade Curriculum, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, mindfulness, Parenting, Reviews

Tommy Nelson Books: Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith Review!

Little Learner and Mom

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

As part of our morning time together my son and I have been reading Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith from Tommy Nelson Books. As a 4th grader he is becoming more aware of world issues and social dynamics. I am also trying to foster an environment of open communication and build his self-esteem.

Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith is a great little devotional book for students for Christians and non-Christians. Each of the lessons comes a quick little story, that does reference scripture and then you have a Did You Know or Get Ready to Roar section. The Did You Know the kids will learn stuff from history and the Get Ready to Roar gives the kid missions to help build their confidence so they can tactile things they may come their way.

Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith encourages students to try something new, facing fears. The book also covers topics such as :

  • Peer Pressure
  • Bullying
  • Facing fears with friendship and school

One of the lessons I refer to when my son is frustrated when doing his school work and making mistakes is lesson 27 Goofs, Mistakes and Mess-Ups. My son gets really angry and frustrated when he isn’t getting a concept or making mistakes. We have a motto in our house “Mistakes are proof we are trying”, sometimes that works but there are times when it doesn’t and we have to reset. Lessons 27 really solidified what I have been trying to get him to understand. Lesson 31 Who You Really Are has been great for us to reference these days as we continue our journey through developing a healthy growth mindset and him starting to learn more about himself.

My son likes to use the Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith along side when he is using his journal. Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith book is colorful, friendly, and has a culturally diverse illustration. This is a really nice book if you are looking to cover some the issues kids may be experiencing as they grow.

Be sure to check out the other crew’s reviews of Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links

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Critical Thinking and Logic, Education, Family, Geography, Parenting, Reviews

World Watch Review!

Little Learner and Mom

DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

We have been watching WORLD Watch videos on Fridays as part of our current events. WORLD Watch was given to us to review with the crew. We received a six-month subscription for the whole family.

WORLD Watch is a online news program meant for families. WORLD Watch provides news coverage of current events. Events are updated throughout the week. You can watch video coverage of these events.

“WORLD Watch is a video current events program designed for students that develops critical thinking, biblical discernment, and news literacy.”

We watched videos about the Olympics and most recently we watched a video about hurricane Ida outage. It was nice to see a nice of variety of news coverage around the world. There are some political coverage in the videos. My son was intrigued by the triceratops coverage in Paris France and this is from a kiddo that isn’t a huge dinosaur fan.

WORLD Watch videos average about 5-10 mins and they cover single topics or variety of news coverage. We did see videos that offered viewpoints from christian prospective. I personally prefer not to see religion mixed with news. I would have also liked to have seen news reporters that were diverse especially those who are covering more ethnic regions.

WORLD Watch not only covers current events there are also topics that are historical. My son also found interesting the coverage of Nairobi, Kenya about the issues that the hearing and death community having issues with masking wearing that doesn’t allow them to read mouths.

WORLD Watch does have bloopers at the end of the videos that we found to be funny. If you are looking for a clean current events news outlet that allows for the entire family to watch this is a good option. The religious focus isn’t heavily present in the videos but you will hear and see some mentions.

Be sure to check out the other crew’s reviews of WORLD Watch by clicking the banner below.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldwatchshow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldwatchnews/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLhlnq_RLfpSdQ8Fm6VEEjw

Family, Homeschool, Morning Basket, Parenting, Read Alouds, Reviews

Everybody, Always for Kids Review!

Little Learner and Mom

I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Over the last few weeks we have been transitioning our homeschool into our summer routine. What better way to swap out our morning readings with Everybody, Always for Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich.

The last 5 months we have been focusing on growth mindset and kindness. Everybody, Always for Kids has been a welcome addition to our journey. The stories in the book focus on kindness, service and empathy. Children are able to easily relate to the different lessons being taught in the stories.

Everybody, Always for Kids is written from the prospective of the Christian faith but I can honestly say that families of non-Christian faith will find the stories not intrusive and really just teaching the children to be kind to others and acts of service. I found the book very culturally inclusive. Diversity is one of the things I look for in books and we were very happy to see children and families of all ethnic backgrounds in the book as well as characters visiting other countries. Everybody, Always for Kids is a hardcover book with bright vibrant, glossy and sturdy pages.

Everybody, Always for Kids also includes a lesson plan which is fabulous. There are 5 lessons included in the lesson plan. Each lesson comes with :

  • Objective
  • Activity
  • Supply list
  • Lesson steps
  • Discussion questions

We did lesson 5 The Oaks Garden for Earth week and revisited the frog life cycle. My son really likes Everybody, Always for Kids he has been reading it the last few weeks on his own and we talk about what he has read. One story that stood out for us was Chapter 7 Building Schools it taught a lesson about gratitude and a little about the country of Afghanistan and the need for building schools for girls. As a mom Chapter 6 My Bucket also rang home for me about filling my own bucket something I dont do enough and I like the idea of having a real bucket and writing things I need to fill it with. This visual bucket is something I plan to do do not just for myself but for all of us.

We did not read the the book in order I let him read the stories that peeked his interest. The stories are short and they keep his interest and he enjoys them. We will continue to read through the rest of the book and look forward to any new of Everybody, Always for Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich series.

At the time of this review the cost for Everybody, Always for Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich is $10.27 for the hardcover on Amazon. We really like this book and recommend it if you are looking to add some positive literature for your students. Be sure to check out the other Crews reviews on Everybody, Always for Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich by clicking the banner below.

Until the next time

Mom and J

Social Media Links:

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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rootedfamily/_created/
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