Before Blogs

During the first year after my children left school I read books about home-schooling.  The year after that, I discovered Yahoo groups, forums and online curricula.  And then … I discovered homeschool blogs. A world of brilliant, generous women tirelessly sharing their experiences and ideas.

From Salt Dough to Vermeer

These women transformed my family’s experience of homeschooling. They introduced me to a wealth of homeschooling styles, from which I put together our own eclectic educational smorgasbord. They reminded me that one bad day didn’t mean I had to send my kids back to school. They made me laugh. They educated me – about everything from salt dough maps to Vermeer. They inspired me to try new things.  They gave me confidence.

And they continue to do so. Every day there’s another experiment to try, another art medium to dabble in, a new way to explain prime factors to my young artist, another reassuring story from someone whose homeschooled kids grew up just fine.

Thank You

These women inspired me to join the Great Homeschool Conversation myself – to make my own small contribution to the abundance of free resources anyone with an internet connection can access. So when Phyllis at All Things Beautiful left me a note that she’d given me a blogging award, and I saw my name nestled between my blogging heroines, I cannot describe how honoured I felt.  Thank you, Phyllis, and thank you to everyone who participates in this life-enhancing conversation – as bloggers, commenters and readers. Aren’t we blessed?

Passing It On

I’m a little shy about passing on the award – I don’t know much about the etiquette of such things.  But Phyllis suggested that the award be passed on, as an act of kindness, so I am nominating:

Stories of an Unschooling Family – Sue Elvis is a wonderful writer who shares stories about her large family’s unschooling lifestyle in a way that inspires me whenever I dip into her blog. Sue’s words are truly life-enhancing.

North Surrey Midwife – my friend Angela is an independent midwife (and homeschooling mum) who is passionate about empowering women to give birth the way they want and deserve. I had a wonderful home waterbirth with J(7)  thanks to independent midwifery, which is currently under threat here in the UK.

Where do you turn for inspiration?