Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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Teach the Rebel Homeschooler

6 Boy Approved Books Which Spark the Love of Reading

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have six boy approved books today. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter for more tips.

Not wanting my boys to be among the boys-who-hate-to-read statistics, it was a challenge in the beginning to keep my boys’ enjoying reading.

I had a LOT to learn about how boys learn.

Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I’m hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys.

3 Boy Mom Reading Tips

Now that I have lifelong adult son readers, I know you’ll benefit from these three simple, easy, and tried and true reading tips.

1. Quit thinking like female teachers.

I know, it sounds crazy because homeschool stats reveal that a majority of the teaching is done by moms.

It’s hard to not think like a woman when you are one.

Where am I going with this?

The point is we add to our son’s dislike for reading when we try to use the books we loved as a girl to spark a boy’s interest.

My boys didn’t connect with a lot of the books I loved as a girl.

When I started homeschooling, I felt like I had a diversified reading diet growing up, but it didn’t include a lot of topics boys liked.

6 Boy Approved Books Which SPARK the Love of Reading!! Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I'm hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys. CLICK here to look at this short but TRIED and TRUE List!!

Sure, some of the books were the same ones I loved like Where the Red Fern Grows and The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

But I had to expand what I thought were appropriate topics to read about.

2. The Hero or Heroine Matters.

Although boys love to get lost in a world of fiction too, relating to the hero matters.

It’s hard for boys who are struggling to read to relate to a sentimental girl.

At the time my first son was struggling with a love of reading, unless the girl was mischievous or a tomboy, it wasn’t easy for my boys to understand the sentiment.

Too, a lot of boys, including mine, develop slower.

Their maturity rate is different than girls.

They don’t necessarily see themselves in a place through the eyes of the character, so you have to be sure they do.

Instead of trying to read between the lines, my boys needed to understand the why of a point directly.

Finding a solution to the problem was more paramount than understanding exactly how a character felt.

A story line with male role models no matter the age was a good starting point in helping my sons identify with people who are like them.

3. Boys LOVE Pictures.

Boys are not ready to move away from pictures as fast as girls may be.

Realizing that significant fact, I was so grateful for the Great Illustrated Classics series.

True, some of the pictures are not like the comic books that boys love, but pictures are still pictures to boys.

The size of the print mattered to my first reader too.

The bigger the better in the beginning.

Until he felt comfortable and was hooked on reading, we just kept on reading most of the books from the Great Illustrated Classics series.

I never worried whether the books were abridged or unabridged until I hooked my reader.

Out of all the books I used for my boys to hook them on reading they narrowed down their favorites to these 6 choices to nurture a love for reading.

  1. Where the Red Fern Grows
  2. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (Great Illustrated Classics)
  3. Invisible Man (Great Illustrated Classics)
  4. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
  5. Shiloh
  6. Stone Fox

One or more of these books or series should give your boys a taste of boy approved books, but more important they’ll nurture a love of reading.

A book list doesn’t have to be long to work; the book list needs to be focused on what boys can relate to.

I’ll be sharing more book lists that have worked for us through the years.

Does your son have a favorite book or series that worked to fan that tiny ember to a raging love for reading?

6 Boy Approved Books Which SPARK the Love of Reading!! Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I'm hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys. CLICK here to look at this short but TRIED and TRUE List!!

You’ll love these other tips:

Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Why my homeschooled kids are not given the choice to go to public school sounds harsh. Also, you’ll love more tips on my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

Also, extreme homeschooling or parenting is not my style.

However, I do strive for being a balanced parent, which I feel is much more challenging than setting fast and hard rules.

Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

I had loving and balanced parents and still maintain a close relationship with them.

Let me back up and explain first that your childhood affects your current parenting and homeschooling style.

Oh sure, my parents made their fair share of parenting mistakes, like any parent will, but extreme, dictatorship-like decisions based on my parents’ personal whims was not one of them.

True, I realize not all parents are good parents and then a child from that type of family who may have been dictator like wants to restore balance when they are parents.

But in the quest to restore balance, parents can inadvertently give a child the idea they have as much experience as the parent.

Communicating lovingly to me and often why I couldn’t do something was always foremost in how my parents modeled to me.

Good Decisions are MODELED Not Wished For

Switching back to present day and helping many new homeschoolers, I noticed a common trait among some parents.

Some parents beginning to homeschool want their child’s approval regardless of age to homeschool.

And yes of course a child’s age has a lot to do with this but maybe not. More on this in a minute.

Through conducting thousands of workshops in person, (my courses are online now) I noticed some homeschool parents bring negative patterns of their parents’ parenting or lack of it to their current homeschool.

It’s true homeschooling and your learned parenting patterns are inextricably linked.

Too, I’ve homeschooled long enough to know that public school and homeschool are two VERY different approaches.

See my post The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home in how I help others see two DIFFERENT ways to educate.

In addition, I’m not saying homeschooling at all costs either. Some simply do not have the circumstances although they want to homeschool.

Back to parenting. Wouldn’t you agree that balanced parenting is harder to achieve than laying down arbitrary rule making

Look at some of the common mindsets that I have avoided and/or adopted which worked for me in helping my kids see that homeschooling can be a superior education.

ONE// I don’t think a homeschooler is called to homeschooling.
I do feel that homeschooling is THE BEST choice for ANY child.

Besides the obvious low teacher ratio, homeschooling is about choice of schedule, choice of academics, real life experiences, and an overflowing amount of enriching activities.

Which family doesn’t deserve to have a shot at that?

I do not think only certain families are called to homeschool, but all families should have the option.

However, just because homeschooling is the best method for every child to learn, it doesn’t mean everybody has the circumstance to.

Good is not wished just upon some and others not.

The bottom line has been that because each year I had the circumstances to homeschool.

I knew it was the best option for any child, a life changing decision was not given into the hands of a child who may thinks he misses a friend or two.

TWO// Homeschooling is similar to the mindset needed for a lifelong commitment.

Marriage calls for a heavy commitment up front when you don’t really know your future husband until you start living with him no matter how long you dated.

Jumping into marriage without trying to find out as much as you can about your husband is not wise by any stretch of the imagination.

More Resources for Why My Kids Are Homeschooled

Also, look at some of these resources I have for you and my book too.

5 BEST How to Homeschool Books

I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.

Homeschooling for New Homeschoolers: When You Don't Know Where to Begin

Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is a real eye-opener on homeschooling. It will alleviate a lot of the anxieties about getting started homeschooling. Reading each chapter’s highlights will give you encouragement, knowledge, guidance, and peace of mind to homeschool with confidence. The best part is that you’ll be educating the person who loves your kids the most in this world--YOU! Armed with the knowledge to make better choices in curriculum will empower you to continue the path of home education. Unlike many books based on one family’s experience, Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is also based on Tina’s many years of mentoring hundreds and hundreds of new homeschoolers at live workshops. When you don’t know where to begin Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers equips you to successfully homeschool your children.

The Unhurried Homeschooler

Homeschooling is a wonderful, worthwhile pursuit, but many homeschool parents struggle with feelings of burnout and frustration. If you have ever felt this way, you’re not alone! Most of us need to be reminded of the “why” of homeschooling from time to time—but "The Unhurried homeschooler" takes parents a step further and lifts the unnecessary burdens that many parents place on themselves.

Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace

Those who have made the decision to homeschool their children have done so out of great love for their children and a desire to provide them an excellent education in the context of a warm, enriching home.

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life

Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?

Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom

Education has become synonymous with schooling, but it doesn’t have to be. As schooling becomes increasingly standardized and test driven, occupying more of childhood than ever before, parents and educators are questioning the role of schooling in society. Many are now exploring and creating alternatives.

Making a marriage work is hard, but thinking in the back of your mind that divorce is an option or a way out makes the effort put forth in the beginning meager and utterly defeating.

And yes, many have had to escape a bad marriage but too it’s easy to give up if you want to separate at the first sign of trouble.

Both of those commitments required HARD WORK and success just doesn’t happen.

Homeschooling is similar to that type of  commitment in marriage.

Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

You need to focus more on how to make homeschool work.

And not dwelling on returning to public school .

This requires a resolute determination, a belief in the homeschool approach, knowledge (which is gained) and focused energy.

Decision-Making Ability is a Gradual Process

It’s easy to assume that all of our homeschool years are going to be sunshine and rainbows, but you and I know that is a lie.

Like most teens, mine too have gone through times when they too buck the decisions my husband and I make.

Our process to help them has always been the same and we did this by:

1.Listening to my boys without interrupting them or telling them they can’t feel that way.

They should have their own opinions and our decision for them to not have the choice to go to public school doesn’t deprive them of how to gradually start the decision-making process.

When boundaries are created a child or teen has a safe environment in which to learn.

2. Explaining the reasons why they don’t have a choice to go to public school.

Your reasons may vary, but a few of our reasons usually went like this; this is a superior education, society has changed and we want our influence on you, your course load in high school can be lighter or heavier, you have more time for a social life instead of caged, you can have a job earlier, enjoy an apprenticeship, be free of bullying, be free of the atmosphere of drugs and savor freedom.

THREE// Let’s talk teens, rebellious years and even single mom homeschooling.

3. Acknowledging that we are capable of mistakes. Too, let our children know all decisions are made out of giving our children the best.

4. Finding the solution or fixing the problem. For example, if one of my boys felt like he was missing out on friends, then I MUST fill that need. And you know that unless you decide to homeschool under a rock, activities are endless for kids.

Matter of fact, finding other boys their age was a problem in our homeschool and I created a thriving co-op. Out of that co-op, my boys have lifelong friends.

They also wanted to be with other homeschooled teens more, so they took art lessons, and ballroom dancing.

I didn’t stop there, I planned movie trips and outings for boys and I planned for 2 or 3 field trips per month instead of our usual one. Yes, w

Single mom homeschooling is also more prevalent today and because homeschooling can be flexible to a mom’s work schedule, many single parents are lapping up that freedom.

When we give our kids the option to return to homeschool a mindset can set in where they think that something better exists, when in fact we are giving them the very best!

Why unnecessarily place defeat in front of you or your children?

Additionally, teens vary on their maturity. Just because a teen reaches a certain age doesn’t mean he or she is capable of sound decisions.

I’ve helped many parents pull their teens out of public school because of drug problems, bad friends, or just because the teen is worn out or worst bullied.

A teen still needs a parent who is loving, caring, and balanced and they need it now more then ever before.

Be Willing To Work Hard as the Homeschoool Educator

While true, it’s important to listen to your teen it’s better to have your teen in a safe environment so their confidence soars.

Here are some do NOT:

  • Don’t use the return to public school as a threat. It may give your kids the wrong impression of people who have had to use public school. Besides threats and intimidation is not a way to parent.
  • Don’t keep asking your children if they miss school. They are only going to tell you what their limited experience has been and they do not have the ability to make life changing decisions.
  • For sure don’t ask a homeschooled teen if he thinks he should return to public school. Problems will not get better when he is away from you, they only go below the surface for a while to reappear.
  • Don’t think a child has to experience bad or experience public school to appreciate good. If that seems to be the case, focus on how to help them appreciate what they have. Appreciate means to hold in high value. Attitudes and actions prove appreciation or lack of it. A return to public school doesn’t build that in children.

Leave behind rigid and unbending rules, but set your homeschooling up for success by creating boundaries for it.

Why My Homeschooled Children Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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Day 26 Tips for Resistant Learners And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today is day 26 tips for resistant learners You’ll find the other tips on 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers.

Channeling a self-willed child is like either hitting a concrete wall or floating along a calm stream.

In my experience, I know that a child alone does not determine whether you hit this wall or float calmly.

Day 26 Tips for Resistant Learners And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Our children, like us, are products of what they have experienced learning to be at this point in their lives. They are a reflection of positive or negative experiences.

I agree that it can be hard to look at the positives of a self-willed child, but we need to understand the difference between a rebel and a resister.

They are not the same.

However I want you to understand that a rebel is somebody that consistently disobeys authority.

Resistant Learners

On the other hand, a resister is somebody who can refrain or just not do something or they may actually just resist you.

Even the most well informed parent has a hard time telling if it’s resistance or rebelliousness.

Take a look at some of these tips to decide which is which and put them in your homeschool arsenal for when you need them:

1) Does your child only express what you think is rebelliousness during school? If so, then it may be resistance no matter how ugly the show down between you and your child was. This tells me that whatever assignment he is doing could be causing some anxiety. Is it too hard? Is he gifted and it’s too easy? Are you presenting curriculum that is hard to learn because it is not his learning style?

On the other hand, if he is rebellious about doing his school, doing chores and is cruel on a daily basis to his siblings and shows disrespect to you as his parent, it may be rebelliousness and not the new homeschool routine. It becomes a case of discipline or parenting

Homeschool Rebels or Resistant Learners

Hear my heart on this. If this is the case, you are not alone.

Some children do grow out of this, but just have a hard time dealing with body changes and hormones.

Don’t be too quick to pin the label rebel on him, but if it does happen, cut back your school to focus on what is important and that is your relationship.

I have found more cases than not, kids are resistant learners.

2) What value is learning if we can’t investigate our interests? Children, like us want to learn about things that interest them too. A child may become self-willed if he was forced to bend to another one’s will or stay in sync to a scope and sequence that was not a good fit. If that force was not motivated by love as it is by parents, then a child might be asking “why risk getting hurt?” Then rebellion sets in and it becomes a battle of the wills. Again, place a precious value on what your child tells you and this helps them to resist the urge to be a rebel.

Too, I’m going to switch gears here on you.

Who is Tina Robertson

But before you can appreciate how I can help you, here are a few things about me. Sure, this free new homeschooler boot camp is all about you.

However, you need to know that I’m not new to the homeschool world.  

It has been several years since I wrote this series and I want to update you on my successes. And I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling.

Too, I have 3 homeschooled grads. So I’m well past having my oldest kid being 10 years old.

Day 21 Time Tested Tips For Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

But the best part is that what I have for you works.

Also, look at a few other things about me.

And I have a detailed self-paced online homeschool Kickstarter course. It is a detailed comprehensive course for first time homeschoolers.

Day 21 Time Tested Tips For Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

That is enough about me.

Day 21 Time Tested Tips For Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

1 – 7 Start with the Homeschool Basics

8-14 Homeschool Organization 101 for Beginners

15 – 21 Best tips for New Homeschoolers Choosing Curriculum

22- 28 Homeschool Preschoolers, Highschoolers, and Resistant Learners

Even if his ideas are far-fetched, he knows you gave him a listening ear.

3.) Boundaries equal limits and children thrive within them. A rebel will push and test the limits. Inconsistent discipline, inconsistent school schedule and inconsistent rules breeds a rebel. All three of these things can be taxing to get a handle on when you’re new to homeschooling.

It is better to do less in the day and keep expectations clear so that you are not frustrating any of your children, than it is to push ahead and then take off days because you are behind.

Consistency, no matter how small keeps mutiny in homeschool to a minimum.

Create boundaries and a few rules so that they are easier to remember. A

flexible, but clear schedule posted in a prominent place helps everybody to see how to get the day started.

We all have buttons that can be pushed, so we need to realize when our resistant learner is pushing them. If you have to postpone correction because our emotional tanks are empty, do so.

When both a child’s and parent’s emotional tanks are empty, this is a collision course and not the best time to correct behavior.

Day 26 Tips for Resistant Learners And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

You are not alone. We ALL deal with resistance and rebellion and as long as we’re human we can’t completely eradicate it, but we can cope successfully with it.

Hugs and you know I love ya,

Day 26: Homeschool Rebel or Resister - Are You the Cause? {31 Day Boot Camp For New Homeschoolers on My Blog}

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

There are so many great options for middle and high school homeschool electives for teens that it can be hard to narrow down the choices. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips.

Sometimes we need a little nudge to remember that the freedom of homeschooling opens doors for opportunities for our kids beyond the traditional elective options.

This A to Z list of middle and high school best homeschool electives should give you a headstart in helping your teen decide what he would like to pursue.

I try to think out of the box when choosing electives.

Too, remember each teen has a very different personality. You know that, so don’t homeschool middle and high school in fear meaning take a boring and predictable path for electives.

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

Although they can be, these are not the core subjects. This is the time to explore a teen’s passion no matter how odd  it may seem.

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

There is no other time in a teen’s life that he will have freedom to explore even the mundane.

I know your anxious about your teen’s next journey as he enters adulthood, but let him delve into his passions and likes here. Just like you didn’t push when they were younger, don’t do it it here either.

Also, something else I learned after my first high school teen is to start earlier.

For example, by feeding one of my son’s passion for writing in the middle and high school years he has continued on with his love of writing past graduation.

High school electives can begin in middle school; it gives your child a head start in time to pursue his strengths.

Look at some of these out of the box ideas.

In addition, I’ve listed some of my lapbooks and unit study ideas. I aim toward middle grades and up for most of my unit studies and lapbook; I try to create them for multiple ages.

A

Acting
Animation
App creation/coding
Archaeology
Anatomy. My Human Body Lapbook and Unit Study post has more great ideas.
Archery
Accounting
Architecture
Agriculture
Aromatherapy
Design and Art
Art History. Art History for Kids has some more ideas on creating a study.
Astronomy. Look at my Astronomy Lapbook and Unit Study for more ideas.
Auto maintenance/mechanics

Look at tips I share on my YouTube Channel, How to Homeschool EZ

B

Baking
Ballet
Birding
Bible Study
Blogging
Bee Keeping. You’ll find a Bee Lapbook and Unit Study here on my page.
Book club
Blacksmithing

Also, your kids will love Literary Adventures which are self-paced language arts courses.

Budgeting
Business management

Also, don’t think you have to learn all these things on your own. Look at some these fantastic middle and high school courses to explore which are already laid out.

Look at some of these courses from learn music in our homeschool.

C

CPR
Cake decorating. Hobby Lobby used to give cake classes by private individuals. Check out Wilton to see locations.
Car care
Career exploration
Cosmetology
Cartoon Drawing
Creative Writing. Also we loved Writing Rockstar units for middle school.


Carpentry
Child Development
Construction
Costume Design
Choir
Classical music
Coding
Computer building, programming, or science


Cooking skills
Criminal Justice
Crew
Crochet
Cross fit
Culinary Study

D

Dance
Debate
Dog training
Digital Marketing
Drama
Drivers Ed counts as a half-credit with some schools.

Of course, if you can decide the credits for your teen you can make this any course you want to. You can include safety in a vehicle, safety on water, or just a Safety 101 course.

E

Early childhood development
Electric dance music/digital music
Engineering
Economics
Entomology
Energy
Ethnic culture
Ethnobotany
Etiquette
Exploring different careers

Homeschooling in Middle School Resources

F

Fashion design
Fencing
Fishing
Floral design
First Aid. Many of the trainings for health related paths are certificate programs for persons of any age.
Film Making
Foreign languages
Forensic science. CSI: Web Adventures has some fun games and a free educator guide.
Furniture stripping, repairing, etc.

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

G

Gaming development/design
Gardening
Geocaching
Geography. Local, physical, or world geography are great topics to delve deeper into by teens.

One easy resource for us we liked was Runkle Geography. Look at my post here Geography, Country Studies & Timelines.
Geology
Genetics. There are many free sites to search about ancestry and genes.
Golf
Guitar
Gymnastics

More Homeschool High School Teen Elective Resources

H

Herbology
Hiking
Home design/interior design
Homemaking
Homeopathic medicine
Horticulture
Human development
Hydroponics

Studying my boys love of history, I was able to sneak in literature and history while delving into the medieval time period with Beautiful Feet Books.

I

Information technology

J

Java script
Jewelry making
Journalism

K

Knitting

L

Logic

High School Elective Ideas

M

Marine biology
Mechanics
Meteorology
Myths
Midwifery
Mineralogy
Music/Musical Instruments

N

Nature studies. There are 26 Nature Studies here on my page with lapbooks.
Naturopathy
Nursing/Art of Caregiving

O

Oceanography
Ornithology

P

Painting
Parkour
Philosophy
Photography
Physical education
Physical fitness
Piano
Plumbing
Psychology
Public speaking

Q

Quilting

R

Robotics

S

Sailing
Scrapbooking
Sewing
Social media influence
Survival skills
Swim team

T

Technology
Theater
Trail and woodland management or design

U

US Politics

V

Venturing (scouts)
Video production
Videography
Violin

W

Weaving
Web design
Welding
Wildlife management
Wood burning
Wood working
Writing

X

Xenology

Y

Yearbook
Yoga
Youth leadership

Z

Zoology

I hope this A to Z list of high school electives helps you brainstorm some options for your teen. Has your teen tried any of these high school electives yet? Are there any others you’d add to the list? 

I think you’ll love these other tips for when planning middle and high school:

Hugs and love ya,

There are so many great options for middle and high school homeschool electives for teens that it can be hard to narrow down the choices. You’ll love this BIG A to Z List of Homeschool Electives. CLICK HERE!!!
There are so many great options for middle and high school homeschool electives for teens that it can be hard to narrow down the choices. You’ll love this BIG A to Z List of Homeschool Electives. CLICK HERE!!!

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

While pregnant with my first child, Mr. Senior 2013, I was inspired by an article that encouraged homeschoolers to avoid a bookish routine in favor of real-life learning. However, out of fear, public popularity, and because I thought delight directed interest-led homeschooling meant wild abandon of any worthwhile learning, I followed with strict allegiance a bookish routine.

Then, as my sons grew and our lack of real-life learning lagged, I made a scary leap to interest-led learning.

It was scary because I was comfortable in my Nazi teacher approach.

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow. Interest-led learning is the fuel the sparks lifelong learning. Getting started can be intimidating.Understanding delight directed is imperative. Click here to follow these 19 delight directed interest-led homeschool blogs!

I never felt like a nature loving or craft loving mother which was my impression of interest-led homeschooling. Lame, I know.As my love for teaching grew and realizing that my sons were in an apprenticeship for life, my day to day teaching lacked real-life application.

Soon after, I switched to a unit study approach which is based on mastery of interest-led topics.

Interest-led learning is the fuel that sparks lifelong learning.

Let me back up first and try to capture a simple meaning of interest-led and delight directed learning.

Interest-led and delight directed for our family means using a child’s natural love of learning to pursue subjects that spark his love of learning. Not the other way around. Academic subjects are centered around a child’s passion and then they take on life.

Although public school touts mastery, the truth of it is just the opposite.

A child never explores any passion in depth but is expected to be a jack of all trades or skills. He ends up master of none.

My switch to an interest-led unit study approach reminds me of the quote from Greg Harris which is indelibly imprinted in my memory.

A delight directed study is like a wonderful fire in the mind of a student. It starts small, but as it grows, it begins to consume vast amounts of information until it bursts into a roaring blaze of insight, understanding and creativity. It takes on a life of its own.

It doesn’t mean that there is no discipline or schedule which I thrive in, but it means guidance by the parent. It’s not indulgent, but reactive.

After I switched to interest-led homeschooling using lapbooks as our projects, it has been one choice I’ve never regretted for a moment.

I do regret lingering around the bookish approach for the first 5 years of my journey. Hopefully, you won’t make my same mistake.

To help you make the leap to interest-led and delight directed homeschooling, I’ve rounded up 19 blogs that I follow and you should too which emphasize this approach.

I’ll let each one introduce herself and tell you a bit about her blog.

Delight Directed Homeschooling

►I’m Rachel, and I blog at You’ve Got This Math.

I believe that math should be fun and hands -on. You’ve Got This Math focuses on ways to build number and fraction sense with free printables.

►I’m Susan Evans, and I blog at Susan Evans I love unit studies, themed cakes and parties, skits, re-enactments, and anything hands-on!

►I celebrate the homeschool lifestyle and frequently talk about learning through travel and adventures at This Crazy Homeschool Life.

►Hello! Hola! 你好！My name is Eva. My blog, Eva Varga focus centers around middle school science, specifically hands-on activities, service learning experiences, and project based learning – Minecraft and philatelic exhibits.

Additionally, we strive to expand our understanding of the world through our own cultural heritage and the exploration of diverse cultures (language studies and global travel).

►Hey hey! My name is Amy & I blog at Rock Your Homeschool.

My unique slant is to use Dr. Seuss to teach a love of reading. Also, I use Life of Fred for math learning fun. My five boys & I use brain breaks to keep our homeschool moving.

►Hi! My name is Joan and I write at Unschool Rules.

My unique slant it that we have used movies, video games and life learning as the basis for our entire high-school curriculum for my now 17-year-old daughter, and have a college-accepted transcript to show for it!

►Hey, hey! I’m Tiffany and I blog at Homeschool Hideout.

We are lazy homeschoolers so we like to binge-watch educational shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. We can cover everything from science and history to problem solving, without ever leaving the couch!

►Hi! My name is Colleen. I write all about raising kids to be lifelong learners through interest-led, hands-on homeschooling and parenting with a heavy focus on science, the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional kiddos, and cultivating creativity in all kids.

You’ll find monthly themed book and game lists, Minecraft challenge calendars, and loads of hands-on experiments on Raising Lifelong Learners and conversations with parents on our podcast — launching January 15th.

►Hello! My name is Jenny and I blog at Faith and Good Works. Our homeschool uses free internet resources for unit studies.

►Hi, I’m Ginny, and I offer authentic, hands-on writing experiences to help parents create a culture of writers (and thinkers) at home.
I blog at Not So Formulaic.

►Hello, my name is Sheila, publisher of Brain Power Boys. 

My unique slant is that our site has a lot of hands-on learning projects geared specifically toward boys. We focus on things they like, such as LEGO, Minecraft, Star Wars and topics which include pirates, robots, dinosaurs, knights and more to help them learn reading, science, history, math and other subjects a fun and natural way.

►I’m Ashley, and I love creating thematic unit studies.

We use a variety of resources from fun hands-on activities and great literature to movies and media. My goal is to inspire a love of learning and enrich our studies in every subject from math and science to history and grammar! Please join me in The Homeschool Resource Room! 

►Hi, I’m Erin and I blog over at The Usual Mayhem.

We focus on learning using nature on our cornerstone but occasionally head off into rabbit trails for months at a time (like my son’s year long obsession with King Arthur).

You can find all sort of nature themed posts and other fun on my blog.

►Hi, I’m Sara and I blog at Embracing Destiny. We focus on delight directed, literature-rich (living books) studies in our homeschool.

I’ve created some free Interest Inventory printables to encourage others to follow their child’s interests to foster a lifelong love of learning. We enjoy hands-on creative projects like lapbooking, notebooking, and unit studies. You can find my Ultimate Guide to Delight Directed Homeschooling cornerstone post here.

How to Make Your Homeschool Specialized

►Hi I’m Tricia Hodges at Chalk Pastel. We are a multi-generational homeschooling family.

My mother, Nana, my children and I are passionate about helping all ages lose insecurities and realize that yes, indeed, you ARE an artist. We JUST use chalk pastels and paper. No long, intimidating art supply list. Build confidence, choose favorite subjects and have FUN. We show you how with video art lessons, Facebook Live lessons and so much more to choose from. It’s not just one more thing to do, it’s a great way to make what you are already doing MORE fun while growing a LOVE of art! Art really does complement and help all other subjects.

►This is Ticia here, and over at Adventures in Mommydom I have three unique learners that keep me on my toes.

To stay ahead we cook our way around the world (with mixed results), read book and see how horribly the movie messed up the book, and use LEGOs to recreate history lessons (as well as a few other things). It’s learning adventures at the speed of fun.

►Hi, I’m Cindy West from Our Journey Westward. Teaching creatively is a top priority to meet the needs of my unique children and that’s exactly what I write about on the blog.

Active children excel through nature-based science activities . Reluctant writers blossom with picture book lessons. Struggling learners and those with attention issues make giant leaps through brain training games. And those are just a few examples of the creative learning ideas you’ll find at Our Journey Westward!

►Hi! My name is Pat Fenner and I blog at Breakthrough Homeschooling where I encourage and equip homeschooling parents of teens to homeschool through high school.

I believe in using life-learning and interest-led studies as a basis for a high school curriculum, and am convinced that college isn’t the only path to a successful future!

Then of course, I would love for you to follow my blog! Click below!

Take your homeschool from mediocre to true mastery by following an interest-led approach.

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow. Interest-led learning is the fuel the sparks lifelong learning. Getting started can be intimidating.Understanding delight directed is imperative. Click here to follow these 19 delight directed interest-led homeschool blogs!

You’ll never teach your child everything he needs to know before he graduates, but you’ll teach him how to find out anything he wants to.

I know you’ll love these other super helpful tips!

Hugs and love ya,