Life Unboxed Blog

One question I see asked a lot from homeschool moms is how do I create motivated learners?  

This is one of the biggest struggles in homeschool. Or at least it can feel like it. I confess, I’ve never struggled with motivating my kids to learn. And I am going to let you in on the secret sauce. This post is all about creating motivated learners.  

So let’s talk about how to create motivated learners. It is possible, and I want to help ...

You can homeschool, work, and eat in as small space. It just takes a little imagination to organize a small space. 

Your home is both a living space and a learning space, the line between chaos and calm gets blurry really fast. Whether you have a dedicated homeschool room or you are making magic happen in the corner of your kitchen, you can absolutely create a space that works. You can organize a small space to work for you. 

If you ...

Mom, we are the unicorns in the homeschool world, or maybe not so much anymore. But it can feel like no one else knows what our homeschool day is like.  

The key to a successful homeschool day is to plan in such a way that you can set your day on autopilot, and it doesn't require too much intervention from you. Yes, it is possible.  

Show notes and links: https://lifeunboxed.blog/homeschool-day/ 

Find your tribe. Join the online ...

Homeschool math curriculums can cause you to question all of your life choices. Or at least questions your ability to homeschool well. 

Whether you are a math genius or feeling like you are just scrapping by let’s talk homeschool math curriculums. I confess this is not my favorite subject, especially as I get into the older grades and I can’t remember anything. But math is necessary, and so we need to do it. 

On of the best things ab...

Homeschooling and working from home can be a daunting task, especially for those who are new to both. However, with the right strategies and mindset, it is possible to balance both successfully.

Yes, it can feel daunting. Check that off your list. Yes, you will have a lot of questions. Another check on the list. Yes, it will take time to figure out what works for you. But the bottom line is it can be done.

If you are starting out and...

Do you feel like you need a parenting guide for the real world? You know one that isn't full of ideas that no one will use, but a practical guide from parents who have done this thing well. 

Real world parenting isn't Instagram or Pinterest perfect. It is one giant learning curve with no checkpoints, cheat codes, and no refunds. But it is the greatest thing you will ever do. Kids don't come with a parenting guide, but...

Highschool credits are important regardless of the path your teenager takes. If your homeschooling highschool, then you need to know about highschool credits. 

Understanding homeschool highschool credits is going to help you create a strong homeschool high school transcript, and preparing your teen for life beyond homeschool. If you've ever wondered how many credits your teen needs and how to assign them, you're in the rig...

I know you have so many questions on how do you start homeschool. How do I know if I am doing enough? Will my kids be weird if I homeschool them? 

You have a lot of questions on how do you start homeschool. Some of them are totally valid. Others you just need to toss them in the bin, because they are, well, absurd. Don’t waste your time on those. 

I get it. Homeschool can feel like jumping in the deep end without your floaties on. Mo...

Parenting is hard, but it is also the greatest thing we will ever do. This parent guide is going to walk you through the hardest stage of parenting. No, it isn’t the infant, toddler, or preschool stages. The hardest stage of parenting is launching your teen/young adult kids. 

Yes, I need a parent guide for it. Since it is hard to find, let us share our knowledge and walk each other through the hardest stage of parenting. The launchi...

This is a question I see a lot from new homeschool families. Do I need homeschool curriculum accredited? 

The thought behind homeschool curriculum accredited is may be it add more legitimacy to your homeschool. Or you are planning for your kids to return to public school at some point, so accredited homeschool curriculum will make that easier.  

Before you dive down the rabbit hole of homeschool curriculum accredited, or you start se...

Get all the links: https://lifeunboxed.blog/homeschool-preschool/ 

Do you really need to homeschool preschool? The short answer is no. Now you can stop reading and be on your merry way. 

But if you want to homeschool preschool, then do it. And keep reading as I share all my tips on homeschool preschool. 

Homeschool preschool has been a saga for us. I have bought the expensive curriculum for the first 5 kids, and then promptly kicked m...

Show notes and links: https://lifeunboxed.blog/homeschool-curriculum-for-kindergarten/ 

There was a time that I was terrified of teaching kindergarten. It didn’t matter how good the homeschool curriculum for kindergarten was, I just didn’t want to do it. 

It was much easier to send the kids to school for kindergarten and first grade. Then once they had the basics down, I would bring them home and homeschool them. Then I didn’t need t...

You officially learned how to start a homeschool group as a non-profit organization. Or at least you have the tools and knowledge to know where to begin. Now it is time to put procedures in place, so the functioning of the homeschool group is smooth. Or at least as smooth as possible while you figure things out. 

Yes, you are going to have an idea of how you want your homeschool group to operate, and you will put those policies in p...

Are you looking for a way to connect with other homeschool families, but your community seems to be missing a piece. If you are ready to start a homeschool co op, then this if for you. Everything you need on how to start a homeschool co op.  

Anyone can start a homeschool group, you just need to know how to start a homeschool co op.  

Homeschool groups are a great way to connect with other homeschool families. We've been part of...

A homeschool co-op is a lot of fun, but it also fills the outlet for homeschool socialization. There are different types of co-ops, but a true homeschool co op is parent led and involved. Usually, the parents are teaching all the classes.  

Now I know your first thought is, “What can I teach?” There are so many homeschool co-op ideas, but I know it is hard to know what you will enjoy teaching. You can see the previous 25 homeschool ...

Show notes and links: https://lifeunboxed.blog/homeschool-co-op-2/ 

You don’t need a degree in education or a Pinterest-perfect craft room to write and create a homeschool co op class. 

I’ve taught a few homeschool co op classes, and I always prefer to write my own. Then I can teach what I want and create a class that is truly fun and enrichment. 

Even if it feels like you are barely keeping up with your own homeschool and let’s not m...

Do you think about joining a homeschooling co-op, but you aren't sure how you can contribute? Are you fresh out of ideas for a co-op class? There is good news! You can easily create a class that you will love to teach and will be fun for kids too.

And if you are hesitating because you don't feel like you have anything to give. Let me tell you mom, you do. Share your knowledge and gifts. You have something to contribute.

Sho...

Resources mentioned in the show: https://lifeunboxed.blog/co-op-homeschool/ 

Homeschooling doesn't mean that you do everything alone. Co-op homeschool is a great way for families to get together and share what they are good at, things they like, and find support. 

Co-op homeschool is a great way to add enrichment classes to your homeschool, without adding one more thing to teach to your plate.  

Homeschool co-ops give parents a b...

The to do list is like the life-blood of your day. You can’t move or plan without it. At least it is for me. I live by my to do list. You write it all out so you can see what needs to be done and check those boxes when it does get done. I love that part. The downside of writing it all out is it is visually overwhelming. You want to cry when you see everything that you need to do. But you can avoid to do list overwhelm. Take a deep ...