Homeschooling families seem to be challenged with their choice to homeschool. However, it is believed that most homeschoolers seem to excel. Critics challenge homeschooling families with the words “isolation from the world.” That makes no sense to me. Isn’t the real world out in the world,  not in a classroom?

Several studies have been done to measure homeschoolers

There was a study done by John Wesley Taylor, using the Piers-Harris Childrens Self-Concept Scale to evaluate 224 children that were homeschooled.

The results were that 50% of the homeschooled children scored above the 90th percentile and only 10.3 below the national average. For more information about this and other studies visit the home school legal defense website.

There are plenty of opportunities available for socialization

Watch this video and follow the tips provided. There are plenty of creative ideas and opportunities available for your child to interact with children their own age .

What do you do to make sure your child gets enough socialization?

Signing your child up into a sport this summer is a good thing. Sports have alot to offer. They require social interaction, focus and sportsmanship.  Being physically active releases the brain chemical called endorphins. These brain chemicals increase the sense of well-being and reduce stress. They sharpen many of the skills our homeschoolers need to be a success in school.

Sports can fall into two different types of categories: Team sports and Individual sports.

Within a team sport, players must anticipate moves, stay focused on the field at all times, and comprehend cues from team mates and coach.  If your homeschooler has a challenge staying focused,  following directions, using strategies and rules, then these issues may show up and be magnified on the playing field.

I consider  team sports to be a very organized and structured environment.  Teaching our kids about organization and structure is only going to benefit them and set the foundation for a more organized school year. It will even improve your childs learning.

In contrast, gymnastics, tennis, and swimming emphasize individual performance and offer extended one-on-one interaction with a coach. Some kids enjoy these type of sports as it allows them to focus better and it minimizes several of the distractions that team sports may have.

Although the coaching is individual based, your child will still get the social benefits of training and competing on teams. However, your child will be in the spotlight with these type of sports. If your child does not do well under pressure, maybe he will be better off on a team.

The whole bottom line to finding what sport suites your child best is to find what he is good at and what he enjoys. Adding a sport to your summer activities is sharpening their mental skills and getting them ready for the next school year. We want them to be as ready as possible so we can kick off the new school year with a motivated student.

Is your child in sports right now? Share with others what you are doing to keep your homeschooler active this summer.

photo credit: Ivan Walsh

What if your kids could end their summer vacation at Disneyland? Well, that’s exactly how alot of homeschoolers and their parents will be ending their summer and starting the new school year.

It’s time to register for the official 4th annual national homeschool conference.  Anyone can register. You are not required to become a member of any organization. Registration ensures you have access to all the conference information as it is updated.

You will receive a week of academic indulgence, created by very talented home educators and endorsed by the Disneyland Resort. You kids will enjoy music, talent shows. dance and much more!  There’s even entertaining activities for those always bored texting teens.

This conference will be held in Anaheim, California at the Disneyland Resort. The dates are Sept. 8th-11th. 

You Must Pre-Register.

What a great magical way to end the summer and a great way to start the new school year. For more details, visit the National Homeschool Conference website.

This summer, take some time to squeeze in some fun learning time. Yes its important for our ‘lil homeschooling kids to have a break but its also just as important for them to keep learning throughout the summer.

Kids can quickly lose ground without the continuous use of academic skills. Especially those kids with challenging learning disabilities.

Make a goal to reserve some time each day and engage your child in some sort of learning activity. If your child is unmotivated, hire a tutor or even a college student.

Your child may not understand the long term benefits of  retaining their hard won skills. Encourage your child with special rewards  that appeal to them, such as

• Special trip to the movies
• A day at the water park
• Ice Cream party
• Pizza Party
• Special trip to amusement park

Of course you can sneak in learning opportunities in the not so obvious approach.

Participate in a reading group.

Many local libraries  and book stores hold story reading programs with discussion group activities. This will not only  help them be better readers but it will also help them learn communication skills. It’s also great opportunity to add to their circle of friends and to develop good social skills.

Letter writing.

Encourage your child to write letters to their grandparents, friends and pen pals. Writing is a critical skill to practice over the summer. Check for spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors. Reward them for a job well done.

For additional ideas talk to other homeschooling parents. Bounce ideas off each other. Whatever you choose to do, just have fun!  Little bits of learning at a time over the summer can be greatly beneficial.