Favorite Read Alouds from 2018

Read aloud time holds a permanent place in our day. It's written in stone and happens no matter what. (Although, ironically, it didn't happen today. So, there's that.) Our official time to read is just-after-lunch-but-not-before-the-table-is-cleared-and-the-dishes-are-put-in-the-dishwasher. At least that's the time my clock always shows when we start.

Sometimes it happens with handwork, and sometimes it happens without. It usually depends upon how squirrely my boys are feeling and/or how much silence I want whilst I read.

5 Changes Every Homeschooler Should Make in the New Year

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

A new year is here, and for many, that means a chance for a fresh start. January is a time for reboots, tweaks, and small shifts. Of course, most people make New Year’s resolutions that involve weight or money.

If you, like millions of folks, have made lifestyle resolutions and goals, great! Go ahead and hang onto them. However, I'd also encourage you to consider making a few changes to your homeschool.

Before you roll your eyes or keep scrolling, please hear me out. I'm not trying to shame shift here. I know from personal experience that any bit of change that happens from a root of shame is not sustainable.

When You Feel Like Sending Them to "Real" School

Written by Jessica.

It’s January, and many of us are in the heart of mid-winter: cold weather, short dark days, cabin fever from being cooped up inside. As an unapologetic homebody, I happen to love the way winter calls for cozy, quieter living with my family. I like the restart and the self-reflection that comes with January, too. But there’s no question that mid-winter is a tough time of year for educators of all sorts. If you’re a homeschool mom who never truly steps away from juggling your parent and teacher roles, that can be even truer.

The Best of The Unlikely Homeschool in 2018

Every year I sit down to compile a list of The Best for you. It's kind of like a one-stop-shop for those who've come late to the party or those who just want the cliff-notes.

But, here's the thing, putting together a list of The Best based on page views alone is tricky business. The following posts garnered the most clicks, but aren't necessarily a true reflection of the posts you liked best or that I liked best or even the ones that created the most conversation between the two of us.

Page views happen for various reasons and sort of skew the results, in my opinion. But, then again, one of my best friends is always quick to remind me that numbers don't lie, only words are guilty of that. (She's a financial advisor. What does she know?!)

What We're Reading in January 2019

Our reading took a bit of a dive in December. We hosted so many get-togethers, played lots of board games, and just generally filled our days with shenanigans that books took a back-burner. So, some of our book selections for January are roll-overs from last month.

And I'm OK with that.

I never want meaningful stories of fiction to interrupt the meaningful stories we're living in real life. Here's a look at the books we are starting the year off with.