Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On Linkedin
  • Homeschool
    • Book Lists
    • How Do We Do That?
    • Notebooking
    • Subjects and Styles
    • Unit Studies
  • Travel
    • Europe
      • Benelux
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • London
      • Porto
      • Prague
    • USA
      • Chicago
      • Georgia
      • Hawaii
      • Ohio
      • Utah
      • Yellowstone and Teton
  • Family
    • Celebrations
    • Frugal
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • PCS
  • Health
    • Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Fitness
    • Mental Health
    • Natural Living
    • Natural Beauty
  • Faith
  • About Me
    • Favorite Resources
    • Advertising and Sponsorship
    • Policies
  • Reviews

© 2023Jennifer Lambert · Copyright · Disclosure · Privacy · Ad

Our Curriculum for 2024-2025

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

August 12, 2024 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

We had a fun beach trip to Panama City Beach, Florida.

We checked some items off our Ohio summer bucket list with several staycation day trips.

I went to a lot of fun concerts with Tori!

Check out my Instagram to see what we were up to this summer.

We often celebrate the end of summer and beginning autumn and a new school year with not back to school activities.

I highly recommend the books by Louise Bates Ames. A good guide to follow are the What Your ?-Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. His books have some problems, but it’s a great jumping off point.

See how we do history. Our main curriculum Tapestry of Grace (and the way I supplement it each year) covers all the humanities – history, literature, art, music, philosophy, government.

They are all finishing up chemistry and physics and maths.

We have been lucky not to be required to take SAT/ACT, but they do have to complete maths placement exams for university.

My kids are very active with skating/roller blading, cycling, hiking, walking, fishing, playing the Wii and Switch, in addition to their classes and sports.

Some electives the kids are pursuing in addition to sports are cooking/baking, creative writing, drawing/animation, arts and crafts, jewelry making.

  • Tori continues aerial gymnastics twice a week.
  • Akantha continues figure ice skating lessons several times a week.
  • Alex plays elite 15u baseball with Midland Dayton.

My son is “officially” 9th grade according to his age and on transcripts that I must submit to the local high school for his eligibility to play baseball. He may decide to do CCP next year, 2025-2026. I am starting over again with Ancient History Year 1 cycle.

Akantha is “officially” 12th grade according to transcripts that I must submit to the local university for their third and final year with College Credit Plus for admission next year. They’re already a sophomore. They’re taking Latin, Hindu Goddesses, writing, and Greek Magic. Love seeing their watercolors this summer and they’re starting an oil painting class! Follow their journey on their Instagram.

Tori is beginning her first “official” year of university with honors biology and environmental science, minoring in photography. She’s already a sophomore from two years of CCP.

I stilll love learning along with my kids.

We are reading aloud several classic novels to round out our education. We are finishing up The Philosophy Book.

We are reading through Discovering Life’s Story and History of US by Joy Hakim.

My eldest child is working full-time in a blood donation center.

I’m still very needed to make breakfasts and pack lunches and help getting my college kids to their campus since only one drives and their schedules don’t overlap much this year. We eat a hot dinner together almost every night. I cherish these last few years before they go off on their own.

You might also like:

  • Preschool
  • 1st Grade
  • 2nd Grade
  • 3rd Grade
  • 4th Grade
  • 5th Grade
  • Middle School
  • High School 1 and High School 2

Resources:

  • The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer
  • Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book Of Homeschooling
  • Free to Learn by Peter Gray
  • Home Grown: Adventures in Parenting off the Beaten Path, Unschooling, and Reconnecting with the Natural World by Ben Hewitt
  • Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
  • Untigering: Peaceful Parenting for the Deconstructing Tiger Parent  by Iris Chen
  • Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness by Cindy Wang Brandt
  • How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
  • Raising an Adult: The 4 Critical Habits to Prepare Your Child for Life! by Mark L. Brenner
Share
Pin3
Share
3 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: back to school, curriculum, high school, homeschool

Graduation Day

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

April 22, 2024 By Jennifer Lambert 11 Comments

Well, the invitations are coming in and my graduating student is thoroughly excited to celebrate with her friends.

And I feel like garbage.

I didn’t get a copy of Oh, the Places You‘ll Go! signed by everyone she’s interacted with since toddlerhood.

I didn’t get senior portraits in a field of weeds.

We don’t have any parties or trips planned.

I didn’t do any of the trendy Instagram-worthy Pinteresting things that I wasn’t even aware of.

It’s been a rough few years, with COVID closing all our extracurricular activities for a couple years. And after that, my teens aged out of a lot of classes and camps and some never started back up after the quarantine. There have been several ups and downs with job changes and income levels fluctuating.

I feel like I really dropped the ball and the end of this year has kinda snuck up on me.

My own senior year and high school graduation week was a fiasco.

I was one of the first students in Georgia to attempt dual enrollment with high school and college. My counselor and principal refused to help or grant any concessions or early dismissal, so I went directly to a local college and enrolled as a Freshman Scholar. I was still required to complete senior English, so I had to take marketing and another elective in order to leave early. I was require to work part time retail for my marketing class.

Senior week is supposed to be a fun time with graduation practice and whatnot, and when I showed up, several students forgot I even attended the school.

Graduation itself was funny. We handed condoms to our principal as we accepted a fake diploma. Several of us brought silly string and hid it in our sleeves. In order to receive our diploma folder, we had to return our cap and gown and a silly penlight since they thought it was a good idea for some “candlelight” moment. I dropped mine so they threatened to withhold my actual diploma.

My parents decided to go celebrate my graduation in downtown Atlanta at Chops steakhouse. Then they got upset I ordered lamb chops instead of steak. I swear I have seldom been so embarrassed: they stole the steak knives from the table. As we left, I pointed to a case by the door where they sold the knives and branded merchandise. I don’t even remember getting any gifts. We didn’t have a party with my large extended family or any of my friends.

I don’t really like ceremony anyway, but I always wanted my kids to feel special and that any day of celebration for them was about them and not about me.

My first child completed our homeschool in Germany and we were so happy for her and I got some fun photos at a nearby park and I ordered a cute pink mortarboard for her. We didn’t have a party since we didn’t have anyone to invite. We had traveled to many cities in Europe so she has some special memories of her teen years. We moved back to the States and she got a part time job and started college a year early. She didn’t want her driving license until she was eighteen. She resented a lot and regrets a lot of what we had to do, but she also wishes she could have graduated college during COVID somehow like some of her peers.

My elderly parents live near Atlanta, but they don’t communicate with my family; they express no interest in my kids at all. They don’t even seem to remember that I have four children, and often lump the middle two together. We haven’t seen my parents since 2018. My husband’s sisters don’t talk to me or the kids. They live near Chicago, and we haven’t seen them since 2012. It’s lonely and sad.

But I can celebrate my child even if no one else will.

She has performed with aerial gymnastics for about seven years – silks, lyra, and trapeze.

She has a part time job at a local grocery store since she was fifteen.

She has been a College Credit Plus student at a local university for two years, so she is already a sophomore in college at high school graduation. She is accepted as an honors student there this fall and we are very proud. She plans to commute so she can have better food and the comfort of her own bed and space.

She wanted her driving license as soon as possible so we got her the mandatory driving skill classes and a cute little Prius when she turned sixteen.

She attended Space Camp last summer, which has been her dream all her life.

We’re thrilled she got invited to the local high school prom with a group of girl friends.

We are very proud of everything she has done and she has some great goals I am sure she will meet!

Yes, I know that admonition about having only eighteen summers, and I know we have had some great and busy ones and some boring not so great ones. I also feel I have a few more summers to make some great memories, and I have no intention of just sending my kids away to live their own lives without me. I will stay as involved and close as they will let me be. I am blessed that my kids still want to go shopping, attend events, and travel with me.

This summer, we have a beach trip planned, but it will be a multitasker for my son’s baseball tournament. I hope to have a few long weekends or short trips to places that are interesting to my graduating child – hiking or thrifting, art and history museums.

Graduation should be a time for celebration. It’s a huge milestone for kids on the cusp of adulthood.

You might also like:

  • 5 Best Life Skills Books for Teens
  • Graduating from Homeschool
  • How to Prepare for After High School
  • Succeeding in College
  • Preparing Teens for the Workforce
  • Parenting Young Adults
  • Learning to Let Go
Share
Pin2
Share
2 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: high school, homeschool, teen

Nourishing Teens

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

January 15, 2024 By Jennifer Lambert 19 Comments

I know for many families, it’s a struggle both budgeting and planning to get healthy meals on the table.

Growing up, my mother loathed cooking and it showed.

I ate canned vegetables boiled to oblivion, overcooked unseasoned meats, Sunbeam white bread, margarine, sugary cereals, soda, sweet caffeinated tea. My parents forced me to drink 2% milk every night – in spite of my hatred of it and that it gave me horrible digestive troubles.

Dinnertime was often a battle on all fronts. I remember many times I stayed at our kitchen table for hours, staring at a plate of food slowly congealing and mixing with my tears.

I had at least weekly migraines and developed disordered eating that I still struggle to overcome.

I’ve certainly evolved a lot as a parent in many ways and very much with my relationship with food.

When I was a single mom, I got Angel Food boxes from a local church and they were a big help. I shopped at international grocery stores and discount shops and bakery outlets for cheaper cuts of meat or older items.

After I remarried, we were excited to receive charity hams and turkeys from church or the USO during holidays.

For many years, I struggled to plan and prep meals, clipping coupons and going to various stores for the best deals to feed our family of six as best I could. I still use savings apps like these.

There is no shame in any of that.

Decades ago, I listened to another military spouse sheepishly brag that she finally didn’t have to look at prices at the store after her husband made rank. I guess that’s a noble goal, to be able to purchase grocery needs and wants without regard to price or having a calculator in hand. I longed for that day.

And now, we are blessed with a larger food budget.

So, also over the years, I’ve fluctuated with quality versus price. I mean, generic products are often cheaper. But some brands are better than others.

We’re told to buy organic, but the labels often have no meaning or legal backing.

Not many coupons or deals exist for certain brands or organic foods. I use savings apps like these.

This post on social media struck me the other day:

I don’t buy all foods. Most people have foods they don’t buy for many reasons like:⁠

  • health⁠
  • medical⁠
  • cost⁠
  • accessibility ⁠
  • ethics⁠
  • culture & religion⁠
  • taste preferences⁠

⁠You don’t have to say “yes” to all foods. You don’t have to bring all foods into your home. I do caution against calling those foods “bad” though. There are so many kids out there telling their friends the food they are eating is bad. Not helpful. Additionally, if you call foods bad you are also setting up a “good food/bad food” category system in their brain. This can contribute to a complicated relationship with food in some people.

source: Kids Eat in Color on Facebook

I am not a dietician or nutritionist.

But I’m a mom who questions everything and I see the results when I feed my family junk or processed quick foods compared to whole foods.

It’s a constant battle in my head and heart that I want yummy and fun foods, but it’s often exhausting doing all the research to get heartbroken that foods in the USA are all produced by only a few humongous companies who only care about profit and not about people’s nutrition or overall health.

I want to make sure I’m nourishing my family. I know that nutrition is often the first line of defense in better health. I want my kids to grow and develop with the best foods I can afford, so they might be less prone to illnesses later in life.

I’m avoiding a lot of additives in foods that are illegal in countries other than the USA. It’s infuriating that I have to be aware and make changes in product choices that are in every grocery store and most of us have been buying for decades without ever realizing. And many foods that used to be OK a couple or few decades ago are now formulated more cheaply with worse ingredients.

When I go to the store, I tend to shop on the perimeter, where the real foods are: dairy, meats, produce.

Have you ever noticed the marketing and signage to get you to meander through the store, designed to lure you in (and especially children who are dazzled by the pretty labels).

What are some of the food additives that are considered fine for consumption in the USA?

Potassium bromate is a chemical additive commonly used to help strengthen dough and enhance the texture of baked goods. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers it a possible human carcinogen, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the F.D.A. to ban it nearly 20 years ago. This is one reason so many think they’re allergic or sensitive to gluten. It is seldom used in Europe. I buy unbromated flour for baking and we feel so much better! We notice if we use store-bought breads.

Azodicarbonamide, or azobisformamide, is used as a whitening agent in cereal flour and as a dough conditioner, breaks down during baking into chemicals that cause cancer in lab animals. It is used by many chain restaurants that serve sandwiches and buns. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has urged the F.D.A. to bar its use.

Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is used in some citrus-flavored soft drinks like Mountain Dew and in some sports drinks to prevent separation of ingredients, but it is banned in Europe. It contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, and studies suggest it can build up in the body and can potentially lead to memory loss and skin and nerve problems.

Sudan or Azo Dyes – specifically Yellow food dyes No. 5 and No. 6, and Red Dye No. 40 can be used in foods sold in Europe, but the products must carry a warning saying the coloring agents “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” No such warning is required in the United States, though the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the F.D.A. in 2008 to ban the dyes.

The European Union also bans bovine growth hormone, which the United States dairy industry uses to increase milk production. The European Union also does not allow the drug ractopamine, used in the United States to increase weight gain in pigs, cattle and turkeys before slaughter, saying that “risks to human health cannot be ruled out.”

Olestra is a fat substitute often used in diet products because it adds no calories to products. Please note also Margarine is not a good option.

Artificial sweeteners have also been tied to an increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome and related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, high fructose corn syrup and white sugar are both equally unhealthy. Even some of the recommended sugar alternatives often cause allergies or sensitivities. We try to limit our sugar intake.

Seed oils are making us all sick. Seed oils are often found in ultra-processed foods, which can lead to inflammation and disease. Unlike traditional fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, and lard, industrial seed oils are a very recent addition to the human diet. Read How Vegetable Oils Replaced Animal Fats in the American Diet. Soybeans were introduced to the United States in the 1930s, and by the 1950s, it had become the most popular vegetable oil in the country. Canola, corn, and safflower oils followed shortly after that. The low cost of these cooking oils, combined with strategic marketing on the part of the oil manufacturers, made them wildly popular in American kitchens. The oils extracted from soybeans, corn, cottonseed, safflower seeds, and rapeseeds must be refined, bleached, and deodorized before they are suitable for human consumption.

Glyphosate (Round-Up weed killer) causes cancer and yet it is not illegal to use or buy in the USA and is sprayed on food products like grains and seed oil crops that then get carried over into so many foods we eat. You should be concerned about this Glyphosate Contamination in Food List, including pasta, cereals, crackers, and more.

Glyphosate Facts:

  • Glyphosate is the key ingredient in Bayer/Monsanto’s signature herbicide Roundup. The World Health Organization and California state scientists have linked glyphosate to cancer.
  • At the time of writing this blog there are 42,000 plaintiffs suing Bayer over claiming glyphosate caused cancer.
  • The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) ruled glyphosate a carcinogen. The IARC said that along with other Monsanto chemicals Roundup could cause Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and cancer.
  • Americans have applied 1.8 million tons of glyphosate since its introduction in 1974.
  • Worldwide, 9.4 million tons of the chemical has been sprayed on fields – enough to spray nearly half a pound of Roundup on every cultivated acre of land in the world.
  • Globally, glyphosate use has risen almost 15-fold since so-called “Roundup Ready,” genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops were introduced in 1996.
  • The mass-spraying of glyphosate has led to the explosion of resistant weeds, which have evolved to survive despite being sprayed. Already, weeds resistant to the herbicide are found on half of all-American farmers’ fields and are present on upward of 100 million acres of cultivated cropland.
  • In 1987, only 11 million pounds of the chemical were used on U.S. farms, but now nearly 300 million pounds of glyphosate are applied each year.

We try never to use plastic bottled drinks.

The per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used to make coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water – that can be in a variety of products, including food packaging and non-stick cooking surfaces. Many PFAS are a concern because they:

  • do not break down in the environment,
  • can move through soils and contaminate drinking water sources,
  • build up (bioaccumulate) in fish and wildlife.

PFAS are found in rivers and lakes and in many types of animals on land and in the water.

80% of Americans test positive for chemical found in Cheerios, Quaker Oats that may cause infertility, delayed puberty: study by Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

I’m trying to be really mindful of the brands and products we support.

My husband was in remission with Type 2 Diabetes for over a decade, but recently he has had to resume prescription medication. So, we are being much more conscious of how we eat. We hope he can go back into remission soon.

Recently I’ve been buying Organic Valley grassfed whole milk and half and half. If I can’t find that, I get Horizon.

We buy Kerrygold butter and it sure does make a difference. It’s a good deal at Sam’s Club or Costco.

We switched to Dave’s Killer Bread. Thankfully, it’s delicious and I sometimes find it on sale. I also make a lot of our own bread products with Montana wheat or King Arthur.

We buy three dozen farm eggs every week or so from my husband’s coworker. They are glorious with huge yolks, sometimes doubles!

I buy a lot of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. I am infuriated that wealthy celebrities are investing in varnishes to increase shelf life on foods that should be seasonal and temporary.

I keep a full pantry of pasta and rice and ingredients. We can our tomatoes every year. We make our own taco seasoning and other spice mixes.

We have a deep freezer full of meat that I stock up when I see good deals at the commissary or Kroger or Sam’s Club. I freeze bones from poultry or hams to make stock and I freeze the stock in bags for easy use in soups and stews.

I order lots of fish and seafood from KnowSeafood and encourage my family to try new flavors and textures.

I read ingredients and I research companies to make sure my dollars speak for our family’s choices and values.

I do loosely meal plan and it sometimes gets complicated with busy teen schedules, but I like to have good meals that will keep for a few hours if someone works late or has a sports practice.

Resources:

  • The Great Cholesterol Myth by Jonny Bowden
  • The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz
  • Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs
  • How to Save Money while Shopping
  • Plank Grilled Salmon
  • Slow Cooker Meals
  • Favorite Soups
  • Our Favorite Salads
  • Creative Leftovers
  • Organizing Recipes
  • What We Eat Every Week
  • Real Food Cooking During PCS
  • Prioritizing Rest
  • Should I Label My Children?
  • Resources for Brain Health

You might also like:

  • Shepherding Teens
  • 5 Best Life Skills Books for Teens
  • Succeeding in College
  • How to Prepare for After High School
  • Parenting Teens
  • Parenting Young Adults
  • The Last Time
  • Learning to Let Go

Linking up here!

Share
Pin8
Share
8 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: college, healthy living, high school, teen

Our Curriculum for 2023-2024

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

August 28, 2023 By Jennifer Lambert

Summer was exciting with a fun Alabama beach trip and a lake trip near Cleveland.

Tori attended Space Camp!

Akantha attended a CCAD art college preview on merit scholarship.

Summer seems shorter and shorter each year.

We often celebrate the end of summer and beginning autumn and a new school year with not back to school activities.

I highly recommend the books by Louise Bates Ames. A good guide to follow are the What Your ?-Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. His books have some problems, but it’s a great jumping off point.

9th Grade

My son is 13 and working on high school texts. I am not worried at all about his academics. I’m trying to find materials to keep him interested a few more years! We might focus more on writing this year.

  • Second Form Latin
  • Chemistry and/or Physics
  • VideoText Algebra/Geometry and/or OpenStax
  • Culinary Arts  
  • Elite U14 Baseball with Midland Dayton

12th Grade

My middle two kids will attend a local university with CCP this year. It will be their second year doing this.

Tori has her driver’s license, a car, and a part time job at a local grocery store.

Tori is in her last homeschool year and will apply to the university to continue her studies.

Akantha has two more years before they can apply to college. So they will have like a double senior year, since they’re mostly done in our homeschool.

Both have always done much of their school work and many activities together.

First semester:

Tori is taking photography, ecology science with lab, and freshman writing.

Akantha is taking Latin and drawing.

Some electives the kids are pursuing in addition to sports are cooking/baking, creative writing, drawing/animation, arts and crafts, jewelry making.

My kids are very active with skating/roller blading, cycling, hiking, walking, fishing, playing the Wii and Switch, in addition to their classes and sports.

  • Tori continues aerial gymnastics twice a week.
  • Akantha takes ice skating lessons three times a week.
  • Alex plays elite baseball.

Our main text this year would be (as soon as it’s released!) The History of the Modern World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade by Susan Wise Bauer. I also hope to find the Study and Teaching Guide: The History of the Modern World: A curriculum guide to accompany The History of the Modern World by Julia Kaziewicz. We have so enjoyed the other three books in this series!

We are technically on Year 4 in our history cycle. Year 4 covers some important near history and I cannot wait to dive deep into literature. Since this series follows a slightly different timeline than our earlier cycles, I can pull ideas from our Year 3 books while we wait for publication.

We are enjoying these books in the meantime:

  • Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting
  • The Story of Science: Newton at the Center by Joy Hakim
  • The Philosophy Book
  • A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn 

See how we do history. Our main curriculum Tapestry of Grace (and the way I supplement it each year) covers all the humanities – history, literature, art, music, philosophy, government.

My eldest child is working full-time in a local hospital with the medical laboratory and phlebotomy.

I hope everyone has a great year!

You might also like to see our other homeschool years:

  • Preschool
  • 1st Grade
  • 2nd Grade
  • 3rd Grade
  • 4th Grade
  • 5th Grade
  • Middle School
  • High School 1 and High School 2

Recommendations:

  • The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer
  • Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book Of Homeschooling
  • Free to Learn by Peter Gray
  • Home Grown: Adventures in Parenting off the Beaten Path, Unschooling, and Reconnecting with the Natural World by Ben Hewitt
  • Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
  • Untigering: Peaceful Parenting for the Deconstructing Tiger Parent  by Iris Chen
  • Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness by Cindy Wang Brandt
  • How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
  • Raising an Adult: The 4 Critical Habits to Prepare Your Child for Life! by Mark L. Brenner
Share
Pin6
Share
6 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: back to school, curriculum, high school, homeschool

CCAD College Preview

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

July 31, 2023 By Jennifer Lambert 5 Comments

So pleased my child earned a partial scholarship to College Preview at Columbus College of Art & Design.

Akantha’s sister, Tori, attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, this summer! That camp was only one week long.

I was really nervous about them being away for three whole weeks, the longest I’ve ever been apart from them their whole life. But they did great!

They stressed in email communications and during orientation all the freedom the students would have. It’s truly a preview of what college will be like.

What I wished I had known:

  • There is a communal microwave in the common lounge on each dorm floor (no fridge). Some students brought their own mini fridges.
  • Lockers are provided for each student in each dorm room (I ran out and bought a lock, which I could have brought from home.)
  • Three big trash cans are provided in each dorm suite.
  • Floor mats for bathroom are needed!
  • Students are responsible for their own meds. There is no nurse to turn meds in, like at every other camp we’ve ever attended, and these are minors, so I was surprised. (I ran to CVS and bought 3 of those little daily pill organizers, which I could have brought from home, had I known.)
  • Maybe a full supply list, including anything recommended or optional, would have been helpful. My student had to buy paper from the shop twice and I had to send ink and pens via Amazon.

Overall, it was very organized and safe and seemed very well done. They’ve offered College Preview for over ten years.

My student did fine on their own, and only forgot their meds a couple times. They ate ok and we made sure they had access to money via Google pay and Doordash for snacks and supplies. It was nice that I was only about an hour away, but they didn’t need me.

The schedule was emailed and printed for each student. Educators for each major emailed their students some detailed information.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are each weekday and brunch and dinner on weekends. Weekends were for studio time. There is a cute little grocery on campus.

Morning sessions were for each major area of study:

  • Animation
  • Comics & Narrative Practice
  • Fashion Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Film & Video
  • Game Art & Design
  • Graphic Design
  • Illustration
  • Interior Architecture & Design
  • Photography
  • Product Design

Afternoon sessions were assigned alphabetically to explore other artistic interests and information.

Some evenings offered fun events like a welcome bonfire in the courtyard, a visit from the Canid Center ambassadors, guest speakers, and optional city walks.

Weekly field trips:

  • Franklinton Arts District
  • Columbus Museum of Art
  • Otherworld
  • Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Columbus Institute of Art
Otherworld

There was a lovely art show for students Friday evening and for families and friends Saturday morning.

My little overachiever is the only comics student who made time to color their pages and also had the most pages (12!) to get their own wall for the show.

The commencement was short and it was so nice to see our students walk the stage for certificates of completion! My baby is a Barbie for sure.

The CCAD College Preview is a great experience for high school students who are interested in attending art school. While it is of course a pipeline for CCAD admission, it’s a good way to see if art school or a city college might be a good choice.

Follow Akantha on Instagram! Their commissions are open!!!

Linking up: Pinch of Joy, Eclectic Red Barn, Random Musings, Ridge Haven, Grammy’s Grid, Pams’ Party, Stroll Thru Life, God’s Growing Garden, Suburbia, Scribbling Boomer, Jenerally Informed, Esme Salon, LouLou Girls, Perfectly Imperfect, Grace Filled Moments, InstaEncouragements, Jeanne Takenaka, Joanne Viola, Homestead, Ducks in a Row, Fluster Buster, Slices of Life, Life at 139a, Modern Monticello, Coastal Bohemian, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Lisa Notes, Try it Like it, Shelbee, Katherine’s Corner, Pieced Pastimes,

Share
Pin21
Share
21 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: art, camp, college, high school, summer

Space Camp

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

July 24, 2023 By Jennifer Lambert 13 Comments

My daughter has wanted to go to Space Camp for about ten years and we were so excited to finally send her this summer!

She attended the first summer week of Advanced Space Academy and was one of the older teens there.

There was a huge waiting list since COVID, so she was in overflow, and stayed in military barracks and not the cool Space Camp pods. It was not as comfy and she was a little disappointed.

Space Camp is nothing at all like the movie, by the way.

We drove down from Ohio to Huntsville, Alabama, and stayed at the lovely Drury Inn just across the way. We didn’t want to risk being late for check-in, but to have an afternoon and evening to relax a little.

Check-in was an absolute nightmare.

There is a new building and it was just not organized at all.

There could have been so many different and better ways to go about checking in. It was just a free-for-all of all age groups and parents, siblings, family and friends (even though every single communication said one parent to check in the camper). Apparently, some parents had an even worse time checking in several children of different ages or for different camps happening simultaneously. They had to even get back in line!

Per all the emails, I was supposed to arrive for the older teen check-in between noon and one. It took about two hours to get through the check-in process and I assumed I could be in and out within an hour. If they had staggered age groups or had different lines for different campers, it could have been so much better.

After check-in, I had to load all her stuff back in the car and drive to her barracks. I did get to see her in her bunk before leaving. I had a long drive back from Alabama to Ohio.

She said the food was good and she got biscuits every morning.

No outside food or drinks are allowed. We did not opt for prepurchasing snack packs or loading her ID wristband with money for vending. She did not want a flight suit. She bought herself a James Webb pin from a gift shop and that was all.

She was excited for EVA missions, anti-gravity tests, SCUBA, and the ropes course.

She was busy, busy and couldn’t get many pictures on her smartphone, but there is a photographer and about twenty photos were uploaded and available for free downloads. There were also photo packages available for purchase.

I drove back to Alabama at the end of the week, and again stayed at the Drury Inn for a night.

The graduation process was so much better and the age groups were separated into the auditorium and parents were corraled before allowed to get check-out stickers for their kids. Since I only had the one child, it was easy for me. I heard having several children in different age groups was difficult since they wouldn’t allow but one sticker every two hour increment.

We were informed literally the day before graduation that families could tour the museum and grounds after picking up a camper, but we already had reservations for Gulf Shores. We just didn’t have time.

She wanted to attend the special invitation-only Elite Space Camp next year. After sending three emails asking about the invitation and them telling me “not yet” they never sent the invite and then told me it was sent “last year” and sold out in two hours. Probably for the best, since they’re not organized in the least.

Tori’s sibling, Akantha, attended CCAD college preview this summer.

Share
Pin18
Share
18 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: camp, high school, summer, teen

College Credit Plus in Ohio

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

March 10, 2022 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I started college early and took several courses before I graduated high school. It wasn’t easy to navigate in the mid-90s and it was a new concept. I am glad I did that and would do it again. It was good for me to ease in to college. I attended a local college – now called Clayton State University, then Georgia State University to complete my bachelor’s in English and master’s in education.

Every state and school district and college have different requirements for early college. For homeschoolers, sometimes it’s easier and sometimes it seems more difficult.

I have homeschooled my four children for over sixteen years.

One graduated our homeschool and started early college classes. I did pressure her a little, but she wasn’t as motivated as I would have liked. I wish I could go back and be more gentle.

Two are starting early college classes this upcoming fall semester. This is their choice and I’m excited to help them.

One kid left to go! He’s only twelve and has so many options and interests and we aren’t pressuring him at all.

Information about College Credit Plus for Homeschoolers

Students must be Ohio residents to participate in College Credit Plus. As a military family, this was tricky for us the first year we PCS’ed here from Germany.

View all CCP FAQ’s here.

Students in grades 7 through 12 can qualify for dual enrollment or early college courses.

Earning college credits while still in high school can reduce the time and cost of attending college after high school. It’s great to ease in and get a taste of college courses before committing to enrollment.

The College Credit Plus Program includes courses taken during the summer term also.

Be aware: classes failed or withdrawn with an “F” (or equivalent failing grade) will receive an “F” on the high school and/or college transcripts and will be computed into the high school and college GPA.

Many entry-level courses earned at an Ohio public college are guaranteed to transfer to any other Ohio public college.

In Ohio, there are lots of higher education options:

  • 14 universities with 24 regional branch campuses
  • 23 community colleges
  • More than 70 adult workforce education and training centers statewide

Check with the institution of your choice if they offer College Credit Plus and what their special requirements might be. This interactive map shows you which option might be near you.

Homeschoolers are responsible for purchasing or renting textbooks and supplies. It’s been noted by many that homeschooled students don’t seem to receive as many credit hours as they request or not as many as public and private schooled students.

Note that colleges are not required to modify course content based on the ages of the students. Some content may be for mature audiences.

Students will be expected to follow the rules and regulations set by the college/university. 

Transportation is the responsibility of the student. This can be sometimes difficult since we homeschool parents always chauffeuring our kids around to activities. I try to plan their courses only two days a week to limit travel.

The state education website breaks down the CCP process into four steps.

College Credit Plus applications open in February 1 and close April 1.

How to Navigate College Credit Plus

Step one: Set up a parent OH|ID account as soon as possible and save that login information.

Step two: After February 1, start state application for tuition funding for each child.

We usually request only 15 credit hours for the first year or two so they’re not too stressed. You can request up to 30 credits for the year, but I feel they won’t grant homeschoolers more than 15.

You have to upload your homeschool intent letter received from your school district.

Step three: Apply to college(s). The applications should be free for high school/CCP students. Pay attention to details like sending transcripts or test scores and if permission slips or extra forms are required. We had to sign maturity forms and permission slips.

Some common college choices:

  • Wright State University
  • Sinclair College
  • University of Cincinnati
  • Miami University
  • The Ohio State University
  • Ohio University
  • Kent State University
  • Cleveland State University
  • University of Akron
  • University of Toledo

Step four: College admissions office should contact you and/or the student with a tentative admission letter to send to the state to process tuition funding so there’s no holdup on that end. Upload these letters to state CCP files and submit before April 1!

Sometimes, there are additional requirements and instructions from the colleges depending on several factors such as age of child, test scores, transcripts.

My first child took the SAT, but the math score wasn’t high enough for her to take the college math class without a remedial course or placement exam. This also affected her ability to take some science courses.

My middle child hasn’t take any standardized tests in her life, and the placement exams were waived based on her age and transcripts. But she took the college placement tests to streamline her ability to take college writing and math without remediation.

My third child is deemed too young and is required to take college placement exams for admission into CCP, even though their transcript is almost the same as my middle child’s.

Step five: Funding letters from state should be received about the first week of May, before 5/6. Make sure you send that letter ASAP to the bursar at the college or you’ll be responsible to pay tuition!

Step six: Receive admission letters from colleges and instructions how to register for classes and student IDs. Usually, a physical appointment is required with a registrar to ensure all is understand and done correctly and they release the hold on registration. Only certain core classes are usually available to CCP students. Wright State advisor stated that students can request to take a class and it’s at the discretion of the dean.

It’s an exciting time for our homeschooled teens to enter into adulthood and attend college. We can learn to let go and let them navigate their education and future. It’s great to ease into it and determine if that’s the route they want to go.

I feel CCP allows homeschooled students to make decisions for themselves and preview college which could help them determine their direction for the future. It might make it easier to enroll in the college of their choice later, after high school. It’s a great opportunity!

You might also like:

  • Homeschooling in Ohio
  • Homeschool High School Credits
  • 5 Best Life Skills Books for Teens
  • Graduating from Homeschool
  • How to Prepare for After High School

Let me know if your homeschooled child has done CCP!

Share
Pin27
Share
27 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: college, high school, homeschool, ohio, teen

Teen Jobs

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

October 25, 2021 By Jennifer Lambert 12 Comments

My eldest child began college at age 16 and it was perhaps a little bit too soon for her. I encouraged her but she felt trapped into that life and didn’t enjoy it. She got a part-time job and had some bad experiences with employers exploiting her and sexual harassment that went unpunished. I worried since she had completed our homeschool that she needed to spend her time wisely. Maybe I should have let her lie around and do nothing instead of pushing her to be more productive.

She worked as a grocery cashier at a national chain, clerk at a tennis center, a local casual restaurant hostess, at a Halloween shop, as a bank teller, and now as a caregiver to disabled adults.

She is now living on her own, sharing an apartment with friends. She quit college and works full-time and I hope she’s happy. She just turned 21. It hurts me that she chose to do this. I wish I still had options to help her. I wish she was still on our family health insurance plan. I pray she doesn’t fall into debt or have an accident or illness.

But if I could back, I would be kinder to my daughter instead of pushing and challenging. If I knew then what I know now.

We are experiencing a vast shift where employees are protesting poor working conditions. I know that young people and those presenting as females are often treated worse in the workplace and I do worry for my kids. My eldest tells us horrible stories about her own work experiences and that of her friends and how they are not protected or helped by management. I worry my middle daughter won’t be treated well and won’t speak up. I am so anxious.

It irritates me how difficult it is to find entry level jobs. The requirements and preferences of employers frustrates me. Most potential employees have little experience or higher education or certification. How do these employers expect to hire people if they require so much for so little pay and often poor working conditions?

Why can’t cashiers have chairs? Who is it disrespecting? Why are so many shoppers angry and belligerent?

It also upsets me that so many career options are undervalued – beauty industry, cleaning, nursing, social work, teaching, secretarial work, child care, elderly care – typically women-centric jobs or “pink collar” that bring little pay and offer poor work conditions. Our society must think these jobs aren’t important. This past couple years certainly has brought to the forefront of our newsfeeds the lack of respect for food service and caregiving careers. These workers seem invisible unless they do an exceptional job with a smile for very little pay. I think it’s awful now that college isn’t even an answer to a good job. I have a master’s degree and that’s not even special anymore.

I worked nonstop from age 16 until I was 30. I had some horrible experiences. I didn’t know any better. Bosses and coworkers were often very abusive, but I had little recourse or knowledge of workers rights. I went to college full-time, beginning with skipping my senior year of high school, including summers. I never had a break. I do not recommend this.

My parents are Silent Generation and I am GenX and that’s a bizarre combo. My dad would make very unfunny gibes about owning me and all that I owed him for the expenses he incurred while raising me.

When I quit work with the birth of my second child, I was quite lost and didn’t know how to rest. That mindset is damaging. The pressure to become a SuperMom is overwhelming. I’ve learned to balance better and I want that peace for my kids.

I wish I hadn’t been such a coward. I wish I had been encouraged to speak up, to take risks, to rest, to quit.

We are not what we produce. We are whole and complete and we deserve rest.

Where are the Teen Jobs?

I feel that teens are exploited since many adults aren’t willing to work under the current conditions. Many adults juggle child care and/or elderly care that employers aren’t willing to work around or pay enough to cover those expenses. My daughters are working hard and picking up extra shifts when people call in.

But I’m not raising kids to maintain the status quo. I want them to be respected on the job. I want them to rest when they need to, not having to grow up too fast to join the adult world. I want improvements to workers rights and minimum wage. I am so, so sorry for the apathy of my generation that we didn’t fight for more change.

There are some options for teens to work part time for pay. There doesn’t seem to be as many options as when I was a teenager.

In July 1986, 57 percent of sixteen- to nineteen-year-olds were employed; in July 2017 only 36 percent worked.

Thrivers by Michele Borba

I did babysitting from the age of 12 when I went through a course with Girl Scouts. I worked at McDonald’s at age 16, Pizza Hut, a drugstore, Media Play (remember that place?), then as a secretary through college. I was able to do substitute teaching and after school care during college also. I taught full time in various schools. I was an adjunct English professor. I worked in a day spa. I occasionally tutored after my kids were born. I just don’t have time for side hustles anymore, and thankfully I don’t have to work.

My husband did lawn care during summers. He also did various farm chores from childhood for pay or volunteer. He grew up about an hour south of Chicago on three acres surrounded by farms.

My two daughters did babysitting, but they found many parents don’t want to pay even minimum wage and expected way too much and often felt unsafe in their homes.

My middle daughter got paid well for pet sitting the last couple years with a few families during the holidays.

We have a neighbor boy who does lawn care on our street, but many families in our city hire professional house cleaners and lawn maintenance companies.

One of my children wants to sell their art online, either stickers or something similar.

Many fast food restaurants are hiring as young as 14.

Typically, many shops and restaurants will hire teens beginning at age 16.

I wonder if some businesses just don’t want to deal with the child labor laws affecting minors.

Every state is different, but most stores seem to hire only adults over age 18. This makes it more difficult for teens to get experience or work after school and during summers.

My second child just got a part-time job as a bagger/cashier at a local privately-owned grocery, but I worry she will regret it. She’s so tired all the time. She wanted to start working soon, but maybe not this soon. She’s 15 1/2. I worry she might be treated poorly and not know to recognize it or what to do. She has plans and goals and ambitions. She wants a car and flying lessons and to travel the world.

I’m thrilled for her and I do believe that money can and will open doors – but at what cost?

If you think it’s good for kids to get “life experience” by working long shifts for $7.25 an hour, what kind of life do you want to prepare them for, exactly?

Joshua Potash

I just want my kids to be healthy, safe, protected. They do not have to work until they’re on their own. I provide all their needs and most of their wants. They have education investment funds for higher learning. I don’t want them to feel guilt or shame like I did that I spend so much money to give them a good start in the world. I am blessed to be able to do so.

I encourage my kids to volunteer or find part-time or temporary jobs that will help them learn skills for the future, but only if they want to. We are in a position that we can help our kids if they want to do summer internships. Sometimes, people need jobs just to make money to pay the bills. The idea of a career or dream job can seem far away. They have plenty of time.

My kids are super helpful with home maintenance and chores. They love to learn about cleaning and fixing things. I love having companionship and help.

I wish I could say this to myself and to my children:

My dear teenager, you do not have to work. You do not have to get a part-time job.

There is no need for you to struggle or hustle and grind.

You do not have to enter the adult world just yet.

Play in the woods.

Read the manga.

Jump in the leaf pile.

Draw the picture.

Watch Netflix.

Play videogames.

Collect cards.

Play the guitar.

Sleep in late.

Go to bed late.

Eat when you want.

Go to the bathroom when you need.

Lie around in your pajamas all day.

Dream of what you want to be when you grow up.

Keep on learning.

Stay a child a little longer.

Don’t grow up just yet.

My husband retires next year after twenty years in the Air Force, and he is anxious about that transition. It’s laughable that there are so many jobs available that he is overqualified for or that require a Ph.D., but the pay is less that what he makes now.

To make a living is not to make a killing; it’s to have enough.

Wendell Berry

I pray that worker conditions improve and minimum wages are raised to a livable income. I fear for our society if the status quo remains.

It’s not just the entry level jobs that are desperate. It’s the entire economy. The job market is falling apart. The media complains that no one wants to work. Of course no one wants to work! The work conditions are abhorrent. And what about the 700,000+ workers who have died from COVID-19 complications? Surely many, if not all of them, worked somewhere. Until the work conditions change to reflect valuing and respecting lives, our society will not improve.

One reason I love the wave of people quitting and the wave of strikes is that every time someone walks away from a paycheck or withholds their labor is a leap of faith that things can be better. And when people take that leap incredible things start to happen.

Joshua Potash

Most of us want to work. We are designed for work. When we have to work to live, yet never seem to keep our head above water, we lose sight of working for the sheer joy of producing enough to live and having balance. Our capitalist society has pushed, pushed, pushed us to the breaking point that bigger, better, faster, more, better is never enough.

I ask myself, my husband, and my kids: what would you do for work if money were not an option?

You might also like:

  • Prioritizing Rest
  • Teen Driving Tips
  • The Last Time
  • Parenting Teens
  • 5 Best Life Skills Books for Teens
  • How to Prepare for After High School

Linking up: Grammy’s Grid, Eclectic Red Barn, Silverado, Pinch of Joy, Random Musings, Create with Joy, Stroll Thru Life, Jenerally Informed, Suburbia, LouLou Girls, InstaEncouragments, Penny’s Passion, Try it Like it, Shelbee on the Edge, Debbie Kitterman, Soaring with Him, Slices of Life, Anita Ojeda, Fluster Buster, Ridge Haven, Thistle Key Lane, Ducks in a Row, GingerSnap, Anchored Abode, Modern Monticello, Artful Mom, Being a Wordsmith, Imparting Grace, Cottage Market, Hubbard Home, Answer is Choco, OMHG, Momfessionals, CWJ, Moment with Franca, Pieced Pastimes, Pam’s Party, Mostly Blogging,

Share
Pin29
Share
29 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: high school, labor, teen

Thirteen

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

September 28, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 7 Comments

All three of my girls are now over twelve years old.

I feel poignant about this. I should feel happy to get over that hump, I guess.

My girls are getting much more independent, doing their own things. I encourage them to own themselves, speaking up, and managing their own appointments, activities, time.

Watching them walk away with my heart is the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. Keeping a smile on my face so they don’t see my anxiety is about to kill me.

My daughters are 19, 14, and 13.

My son is just now ten, but it seems different.

Having teen girls isn’t all the bad that society and the media portray it to be.

Parenting teens doesn’t have to break us.

I really love seeing my girls grow and mature. It’s fascinating to see their minds change as their bodies also develop. Two of my daughters are bigger than I am and they almost cradle me now as I once cradled their small childish forms. But they can also hip check me in a moment so I love how gracious and sweet they are.

I remember how awkward I was at age thirteen, lanky and uncomfortable in my skin, unsure of my thoughts, struggling to fit in with kids at school, wondering who I should be and what values I should have.

I love how much more capable and confident my daughters are than I was at their age.

When my kids were very little, they were highly active and energetic. My girls went through the typical awkward stage when the were like young colts learning how to canter gracefully. Gymnastics and sports help with getting through these awkward times. They’re pretty aware of their bodies and the space they take up and I encourage my girls to expand themselves instead of shrinking as our society and the church culture seem to require. I want them to regain their confidence they seemed to have misplaced the last few years.

I read a lot of child development, cognitive psychology, and education material. I’m not an expert, but I am fascinated in learning about these topics and how I can best teach and parent my four kids.

I often use the analogy with my family that adolescent brains change from a child caterpillar brain to confused mush like a chrysalis, then to the more mature butterfly young adult brain by the time they’re 25.

Changes I’m Noticing in my Teens

Attention spans

It’s great that I can hold my girls’ attention for longer than ten minutes. I can give multi-step instructions and usually expect them to be followed and completed. Their memories are getting better. I see them focus on activities for longer periods of time, often completing projects before getting distracted or moving on to something else. I love they have the ability to train their minds by staying at home. We work, work, work, on brain health and executive function so they can do their best.

Making connections

We’re in our last 4-year cycle of history in our homeschool, beginning the rhetoric phase. Witnessing the connections and abstract thinking in my girls just brings me the greatest joy as a mother and teacher. They can think critically younger and better than I could when I was in college! I love their hard questions that we research and work through together.

Awareness of current events

I enjoy having the hard conversations with my kids and hearing what they think of what’s happening in our city, state, country, and the world. I have to be careful not to overwhelm my younger kids with the horrors of our world and continue to focus on hope and love and reconciliation. They’re starting to ask what they can do to help make our world a better place. We recycle, compost, reduce, reuse. We try with our baby steps to ease our consciences any way we can. Every little bit counts.

Expansion of strengths

After years of exposing and strewing and providing so many opportunities and experiences for my kids, they’re starting to narrow down what they’re interested in, focusing more on what they love, looking at ways to turn their passions into careers. I love seeing them grow and teach themselves. We start out generalizing their education and seeing them begin to specialize is so fun.

Ability to take criticism

My kids are so much healthier than I ever was (and still am) about constructive criticism. I try to scaffold and prime my kids when I think a situation or experience might be difficult or stressful or just very new. I want them to be aware of what to expect. I can’t always predict what might happen or what people might say or do. I can’t always be there to protect my kids. They’re growing more and more independent. Other adults and kids often aren’t as kind with their words or actions. We discuss the situation afterwards.

Maturity

I love seeing the potential in my kids. I’m getting glimpses of the adults they will soon be. They use nonviolent language (mostly) and solve problems (usually well and without my input) together. We seldom have negative or immature conflicts in our household. They have more emotional intelligence than I ever did. I’m learning so much from my kids about how to be healthy in all relationships.

Around age 12, kids undergo a big change, a crisis, in their development. They are reaching puberty and hormones make physical and mental changes in their bodies. It’s a difficult age and many kids struggle to make this change and reach the other side unscathed. Two of my girls suffer depression and anxiety. I know I sure had trouble for several years from 12-15. There seems little I can do to help my girls overcome or avoid the inner struggle. Perhaps it’s genetic or just their personalities.

Of course, tweens and teens are weebly wobbly and sometimes it seems like one step forward and three steps back.

I love being with my kids all day, every day and learning academics with them and assisting them to explore their interests. I am privileged and blessed to travel this life with my children.

During the first seven years, children work mainly out of imitation, while from ages 7-14, children work out of authority. This is why attachment is so important to develop a trusting relationship with kids.

This is also why many families experience difficulties with teens not listening. They didn’t feel attached or safe or listened to as young children, so they won’t just magically begin when they’re older. They develop their own thoughts, values, opinions, preferences. Many parents feel threatened and triggered by kids who express themselves, question authority, and other natural developmental growth.

I’m seeing my girls begin to try on new personalities and personas like actresses. They’re trying to discover who they are and who they’d like to be, what they’d like to look like. They change their hair and clothes very frequently. I try to keep up. I try to be patient and welcoming. Sometimes, it’s frustrating and since I’m pretty constant and decrepit in my boring 40s, there are bound to be clashes when I don’t realize they’ve already moved on to something new.

The Waldorf curriculum is so incredible because it is so responsive to student development. I believe all children should have access to an education that respects their development and inspires their soul. I wish I had discovered it many years ago when we began homeschooling. I try to incorporate aspects of it in our learning rhythms.

Looking back at my children when they were babies, toddlers, preschoolers, learning to read and ride bikes, it’s easy to see the milestones they reached and achieved.

My girls look like women now and I have to look twice sometimes and my heart hitches as I remember their goofiness when they were small.

Now, my teens are looking more to the future and completing high school, making friends, planning for jobs and college and careers.

I love watching them learn how to fly.

Thirteen year olds are often withdrawn physically and emotionally, can be standoffish, tends to be critical – they are protecting their budding separate thoughts and personality!

The Parenting Passageway

You might also like:

  • Sixteen
  • Eighteen
  • Ten
Share
Pin28
Share
28 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: development, high school, parenting, teen

High School Homeschool

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

August 17, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

I graduated my eldest daughter from our homeschool a few years ago.

Her homeschool high school years were exciting for us all, and unique since we lived in Germany at the time.

My two middle girls are entering their high school years.

I feel a little more comfortable for our second round.

We’re adding more multicultural and social justice books to our reading lists. I am much more relaxed.

More and more, I am watching them walk away from me.

What Homeschool High School Looks Like for Us the Second Time

We’re trying to max out their academic transcripts with 4 English, 4 Social Studies, 4 Math, and 4 Science.

My girls have already completed General science, Physical science, and Biology from Apologia.

We use Tapestry of Grace for humanities with a 4-year history cycle. Tapestry of Grace offers lovely descriptions for each thread to help with transcripts.

Electives are religion, art, cooking, sports, and foreign language.

My girls are 13 and 14 this year and we homeschool year-round so we don’t have to rush.

They expect to complete all my requirements around age 16, like their older sister did. They want to get part-time jobs, volunteer, explore hobbies, perhaps pursue dual college enrollment locally until beginning college full-time. And we don’t pressure about college.

9th grade curriculum

  • Ancient world literature
  • Ancient world history
  • Ancient world geography, philosophy, government
  • Ancient religion and Bible history
  • Algebra I (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Astronomy and Microbiology from OpenStax

10th grade

  • Middle Ages world literature
  • Middle Ages world history
  • Middle Ages world geography, philosophy, government
  • Middle Ages world religion and Bible history
  • History of language – King Alfred’s English
  • Algebra II (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Chemistry (either Apologia or OpenStax)

11th grade

  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world literature
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world history
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world and US geography, philosophy, government
  • Renaissance-Industrial Revolution world religion and Bible history
  • US History from OpenStax
  • Geometry (Life of Fred, VideoText, OpenStax)
  • Physics (either Apologia or OpenStax)

12th grade

  • Modern and Contemporary world literature
  • Modern and Contemporary world history
  • Modern and Contemporary world and US geography, philosophy, government
  • Modern and Contemporary world religion and Bible history
  • US History from OpenStax
  • Trig/Calc from OpenStax
  • Psychology and/or advanced science from OpenStax

Pinterest Boards

  • US History
  • Year 1 History
  • Year 2 History
  • Year 3 History
  • Year 4 History
  • Art
  • Language
  • Religion

High School Homeschool Resources:

  • Graduating Homeschool High School
  • Health Credit
  • Transcripts and Credits
  • Homeschool Planner Printables
  • Civil Air Patrol as Elective
  • Homeschool Electives
  • How we do Art
  • How we do History
  • I Don’t Teach English
  • How I Teach Religion
  • How we do Math
  • Foreign Language
  • How we do Science
  • Preparing for After High School
  • 5 Best Life Skills Books for Teens

How do you homeschool high school?

Linking up: Random Musings, Mostly Blogging, Anita Ojeda, Welcome Heart, April Harris, Marilyn’s Treats, Little Cottage, Kippi at Home, LouLou Girls, Home Stories, InstaEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, Our Three Peas, Grandmas Ideas, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ginger Snap Crafts, Katherine’s Corner, Penny’s Passion, Debbie Kitterman, CKK, Imparting Grace, Ridge Haven Homestead, Apron Strings, Life Beyond the Kitchen, Create with Joy,

Share
Pin45
Share
45 Shares
You might also like:

Filed Under: Homeschool Tagged With: back to school, high school, homeschool, teen

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »
Suggested ResourcesGet Unlimited Teaching Resources | TeachSimple.com

Archives

Popular Posts

10 DIY Gifts with Essential Oils10 DIY Gifts with Essential Oils
Natural Remedies for HeadacheNatural Remedies for Headache
10 Natural Remedies to Keep on Hand10 Natural Remedies to Keep on Hand
Homemade SunscreenHomemade Sunscreen
Henna Hands CraftHenna Hands Craft
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT