Different By Design Learning

Why Is Writing Such A Difficult Subject In Our Homeschool?

“Why is writing such a difficult subject in our homeschool?” I have been asked this over and over again, especially this year. Writing is not working for a lot of kids right now. Here’s how you can help. Broken pencils. Big tears. Avoidance. Outright defiance. Total breakdowns. These are just some of the words parents have used to describe the current state of writing assignments in their home. I have a conversation about it almost every day, either with families I support, children I tutor, or in my own home. Writing is not working for […]

Homeschooling 4 min read

Homeschooling A Struggling Reader? 31 Things You Need To Know

I realize that it was not any one thing that helped my struggling reader. It was all the things. This is everything I want you to know about homeschooling a struggling reader. My youngest son is reading. Like, really reading. He can play board games with the rest of us now, without me having to read all the cards to him. He finds his own YouTube Videos. He laughs at funny billboards as we drive by them. My youngest son is reading, after eight years of practice. It feels like a miracle. For […]

Homeschooling 10 min read

How To Easily Make Current Events An Important Part Of Your Homeschool

If the past year has taught me anything as a homeschool mom, it’s that current events are an essential part of how I help my boys learn. Not only are they naturally concerned about and interested in the world around them, I also value our practice of critical thinking around world events. The first time my son saw a news broadcast, he was terrified. When my children were younger, we were always careful to keep the news for adults only, worried that the nightly stories of war and murder would be too much for young […]

Homeschooling 4 min read

Homeschool Moms Feel Like They Are Failing All The Time. Why?

There is one thing I know for sure to be true about us, as homeschooling moms. Well, maybe two things. The first is that we are really, really hard on ourselves (like brutal). The second? We are usually doing a better job than we think. Some of this may just be parenthood in general. There’s no manual. There’s no finish line. We figure it out as we go. Homeschooling is exactly the same, but with books and pencils. I received an email last week from a homeschool mom and I teared […]

Homeschooling 2 min read

The Ultimate Guide To Hands-On Homeschooling Activities: Everything You Need To Get Started

This ultimate guide to hands-on homeschooling activities includes invaluable resources and tons of inspiration. It’s everything you need to get started! It’s been two years since I made the commitment to complete one hands-on activity with my son every week. I used to share them with you here, every Friday, in the hopes that it might take some of the workload and guesswork out of your busy days. There are two questions that you have asked over and over, these past two years. How do you come up with the ideas for a new hands-on […]

Hands-On Learning 4 min read

Doctors, Therapists, And Homeschooling: Who Is The Expert Here?

A few months ago, my son began occupational therapy (again) for difficulties he experiences in writing. We walked into the waiting room and saw a sweet, but very loud toddler awaiting her appointment. There were actual colorful clowns painted on the walls. All of the chairs in the room came up to my son’s knees. He’s almost 13 years old. He wanted to bolt before the appointment, but I made him promise to at least give it a try. 30 minutes later, after me advocating for his needed service dog and being refused, his request […]

DIY Therapies 4 min read

21 Things You Should Know As A Mom In Your First IEP Meeting (real advice from real moms)

If you are a mom headed into your first IEP meeting, please know you are not alone! The following includes crowd-sourced, practical advice, from real moms who have gone before you and are happy to help. For the first time in several years, I sat down in an IEP meeting last Fall. I was overwhelmed, a little intimidated and genuinely confused for most of the meeting. I left with a deep sense of unease. I wish I would’ve said… Why did they mention that test score? What did they mean by…? The IEP was temporary […]

Learning Differences 5 min read