The following is part of our new guest series called Embracing Homeschool by Lourdes Resendez.  Lourdes is a mom of four as well as a birth doula, midwife assistant, and childbirth educator.

Embracing Homeschool

If you are a homeschooling mom, you know that schooling never stops. Nearly everything we do is an opportunity for teaching and learning. However, for those who educate their children on a regular school schedule, there is also a time for planning. For many of the homeschool families we know, summer offers a break from structured learning and a time for mom (or dad) to evaluate curriculum options. Do we want to continue with the curriculum we used last year? Are we looking for something new and exciting? Do we want to create our own? The options can be a bit overwhelming.

James is heading off to college next month, so there will be no high school planning for me this year. I have to admit, that while it was exhausting at times, I will miss it.

This year, I have the opportunity to build the foundation of learning for my two youngest. I am currently planning Kindergarten for Elijah Blue and Toddler School for Little Man. It is a little intimidating because I will be the one forming the foundation. It is also refreshing because I am figuring out their learning styles and we will be learning through play.

There is not a lot of structure in our homeschool environment, but we definitely learn! I believe that my boys are learning a lot through life, play, and exploring. You can find pictures of us learning on my Instagram #thisiswhatlearninglookslike

Are you just starting your homeschool journey and wondering where to start?

  • My Pinterest page  has links to some of the activities we use for school.
  • We use the book Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June Oberlander for activity ideas for ages birth – 5 years. When you need activities to keep the littles occupied while you work with older siblings, this book is filled with great ideas that are age appropriate by week to help your child learn and reach milestones. They won’t even realize they are learning because the activities are FUN!.
  • Cathy Duffy has reviews for a wide variety of homeschool curriculum on her website. You can read her 101 top picks here
  • Build Your Bundle has their FIRST EVER homeschool edition bundle coming out this year! For one week only, July 21-28, 2014, you can save up to 92% on popular homeschool curriculum for ages toddler – high school. This includes complete curriculum sets, products from Cathy Duffy’s 101 top picks, Charlotte Mason, mom bundles, science, math, history, geography, and so much more!

If you are anything like me when we began homeschooling, you have no idea where to start. The above are merely the tip of the iceberg when conducting your search for the right curriculum. I hope these links help. I update my boards often so follow me and see what we’re learning. Feel free to share your ideas with us too. We’re always looking for fun ways to learn!