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It is FINALLY Spring and that means several things for many homeschooling families ... kids are in the final stretch of school and looking forward to a summer break, parents are trying to figure out what curriculum to buy for the next year and some of us are even graduating children from high school. It is a time for looking back at the past year to assess what worked and looking forward to the following year. In addition, some families have decided to embark on this grand adventure and are looking for reassurance that they are making the best choice for their family. So, let's start off this "Spring Fling" with several posts that remind us that homeschooling IS worth it! 

The following post, Tragic Gray, will shock you. "Anything goes in public schools. The only wrong is in being caught.  Even if you are caught, you can always count on a cover-up." Gena Suarez, publisher of The Old Schoolhouse magazine, reminds us to keep them "Home Where They Belong."

"Home schooling is a trend that few people can ignore. There has been a consistent increase in the number of children who have left the formal education system in exchange for home schooling." OhCash presents Homeschooling - The Age Factor posted at OhCash.com and reassures parents that children can be successfully homeschooled at ANY age.

People are getting into trendy yet traditional activities like cooking from scratch; could raising and educating your own kids become hip someday? On her blog, Barbara Frank  wonders ... Teaching Your Own: The Next Trend? We are seeing a renewed interest in the lost arts of homemaking - cooking, knitting, quilting, etc. - could homeschooling be next?

Judy Aron's post Homeschoolers - Are We Socially Irresponsible? posted at Consent Of The Governed is a must-read! Her essay on social responsibility and homeschooling reminds us that the fruits of our labors are worth the time and dedication it takes to homeschool our children. This post will refresh the weary and encourage us to get through these last days of the school year!

Dana of Home School Home talks about when her daughter recently shared her feelings about homeschool versus public school in Talking with my Daughter. Children are very insightful and honest and Dana's daughter is no different, so be sure to read what she has to say!

For those families that will begin homeschooling soon, we have several good posts from veteran homeschoolers. However, I would ALSO recommend that veteran homeschoolers read through these posts as they might find something new to inspire them.  

If you are new to homeschooling, you should definitely take time to stroll on over to read Ten things we wish we believed about homeschooling when we first started as posted by Kate Kessler of Under the Sky. Although she does not consider herself an expert on homeschooling, her Top 10 List is very timely as many of us are looking back over this year and looking forward to next year ... what do we want to change and what did we do right? Maybe her list will answer some of those questions!

Steve Walden has just begun a series on reasons to homeschool. His first post, Reasons To Homeschool #1 posted at Walden's Wits, explains why homeschooling is closer to the Biblical mode of homeschooling. Bookmark Steve's blog to continue reading his new series after this week!

Worried about gaps in your child's education? Well, I think that most of us ponder this from time to time. In Measuring Up, Tia of High Desert Hi-Jinks has posted a very humorous story about the certain downfall of her children (just joking!) due to their inability to use fractions properly. Like she says, "At least life is never dull."

Danny Carlton presents Recognizing the turtle and the rabbit in successful education posted at LookListenLearn.org Web Log and shares his observations about one of the most fundamental concepts of education, that seems to elude the "education industry." We all have children who learn at different paces ... some are quick like rabbits and others, like the turtle, take a bit more time and need  more assistance. Danny gives US some assistance in recognizing how our children learn best so that we can help both our rabbits and turtles reach the finish line! 

There were several submissions sent in by families using the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling, so I decided to go ahead and group them together. I personally use a lot of CM-type techniques in my home, too!

In a post called Tweak, Tweak, Melissa Wiley of The Lilting House talks about making adjustments to homeschooling plans when children's needs change. Part of her ongoing series about a style of home education she calls "Tidal Homeschooling," Melissa talks about the ebbs and flows of the homeschooling rhythm that we experience thoughout the year.

Elena of My Domestic Church shares her review of Melissa Wiley's Little House in the Highlands that I just finished reading with my children!  In her post, Elena explains how this book sparked other interests and studies for her family. And, if you didn't catch the connection, Melissa who wrote "Tweak, Tweak" is the same author that Elena is reviewing ... small world, huh?

Are you artistically challenged? Having a difficult time figuring out on to incorporate art instruction into your homeschool. Then you must read How to Teach Art When You Aren’t Artistic by Jenny of Little Acorns Treehouse. She shares how she and her 6 year old daughter use the weekly blog meme "Photo Hunters" to explore photography as an art form. 

DeputyHeadmistress presents Narration posted at The Common Room. Narration can be a valuable tool to help a child get more out of their readings. I highly recommend reading this post ... the Deputy/Headmistress even reposted it to her own blog to remind herself of her own thoughts on narration as shared with others two years ago.

Now, let's hear from  as they share with us advice on homeschooling only one child, what it's like to homeschooling while traveling around the world, homeschool cooking and some thoughts on homeschooling just five months into the first year.  

While homeschooling is about learning the 3 R's, there are also life lessons to be learned. In Special Words for Special Needs ~ Transition to Adulthood-The Everything Book as posted on The Company Porch, Janice shares a project she and her daughter are working on to make life easier when the day comes for her daughter to live on her own.  Making an everything book is a good idea even if your child doesn't have special needs.

In her post, Easter Story Cookies posted at Nerd Family, NerdMom shares how simple it is to incorporate cooking, religion, math and science into your homeschool just by taking part in the fun activity of baking cookies - yum!

When Kelly of Pass the Torch started her homeschool "experiment" five months ago, she underestimated the need for -- and value of -- several key components.  Read about the situations she faces as her family moves toward the end of it's first year of homeschooling in Homeschool Experiment -- What I underestimated.

Deedee from the UK talks about homeschooling just one child, whether that be because they are an only child, or the only one at home. She highlights some of the challenges they face, some resources for them specifically, and some great blogs of Mom's homeschooling one child! If you are homeschooling one or know someone who is, be sure to check out her encouraging post Only One! at  Doing things Anglo/American style! .

Soultravelers3 of Our World Tour Blog is on a multi-year slow trip around the world educating their child as they roam (including daily piano and violin with classes online). In their post, Book Bonanza!, they share the with us the challenge of books for a voracious reader on the road as well as some details about their exotic adventure travel coming up.

Well, Spring is here (unless you live on the other side of the world!), and most of us are either tired of homeschooling and longing for the summer break or making preparations for next year or BOTH! So now, let's read some advice on buying curriculum, some encouragement for those weary souls and some tips for making next year the best!

Well, it just seems right to begin this section with some lovely photos of a nature hike through Petit Jean State Park. Sprittibee’s “ been listening to the sounds of laughing children, babbling brooks, chirping birds, humming bees, and leaves rustling underfoot” in her post entitled, “Arkansas Spring Nature Hike Photos”. Click over to see what the fun they've been having recently!

Spring is the time when most of us are beginning to look forward to next year - we are purchasing curriculum and enjoying the warmer weather. In her post, Quick Tips to Make This Year Tops posted at Welcome to Cindy Rushton's Desk(TOP!)!, Cindy Rushton talks about everything from how to set up your daily lessons to bulk cooking!  I know for me that this is the time of year when I want to be DONE with homeschooling. In her FREE MP3 audio, Help! I am SO Tired and Weary! , Cindy shares her own experiences with those good and bad days and encourages us to draw nearer to God to get through them all.

What are you doing to prepare to homeschool next year? Are you going to convention? Do you already have your "curriculum to buy" list ready? In Homeschoolers "THING" or Spring "FLING" posted at Training Hearts, Tamara reminds us to "learn from this season in our lives" and not get caught up in what other homeschoolers are doing, what curriculum they are buying, etc. ... do what is best for YOUR family! 

Elisheva Levin says, "Every year, I get crazy trying to get everything in my busy life done. My son and the work of preparing Passover taught me to consider the art of pondering this year." In her post, Pondering and the Art of Making Pesach posted at Ragamuffin Studies, Elisheva shares a very insightful post for all of us homemaking, homeschoolers and how we can turn chaos into order.

Dawnelle at TRAVEL WITH US.... is planning for next year and is also Addicted to Curriculum!!. She took some time to share her choices for next year to teach geography, history, phonics and logic. Dawnelle isn't just buying new stuff, but is sticking with products that have proven to be a success this year in her homeschool!

Patti of All Info About Homeschooling has sent in "a review of a very useful curriculum guide that is based on the study of science." She says, "Nebel's Elementary Education is excellent to use as a general guide, and also as a lesson outline for children who are more inclined towards the scientific view of things, rather than the more language arts based approach generally used." If you are looking to help teach those scientific-minded children, this is a must-read!

Obviously, if you are reading this, you have internet in your home. And, we all know that it is a great resource for us. Several bloggers shared some interesting internet finds and we are also reminded to "blog safely." 

Did you know that an educational alternative to YouTube is now available? Well, I didn't either! Luckly, Rebecca Newburn has shared this wonderful news with us in TeacherTube, An Educational Alternative to YouTube posted at Information Age Education.

School of Thought  took a moment to remind homeschool bloggers to think "safety first" when blogging about their children and family in her post Are you practicing what you preach? Do you post pictures on your blog? Do you use your real names? School of Thought asks us to re-think how we blog.

In her post, Don't you wish you had this when you were in school ... , Sarah Small of Small World shares a quick link to an amazing site for research paper citations. The internet sure can be a great resoure for homeschooling families!

And for those of us interested in pursuing a further education after high school, Vahid Chaychi presents Online Degrees in Culinary Education posted at WhoLearns.com. Whoever thought you could learn how to cook and receive a degree for it without ever attending class?

Summer will be here before we know it. Many homeschooling families homeschool year-round, while others school lightly or take a break from regular schooling. This extra free time also allows us the chance to look for ways to add valuable extracurricular activities to our homeschool - like team competitions and community service. In addition, it is a great time to school "naturally" so that beginning the new school year in the fall isn't such a shock to our systems. 

With summer quickly approaching, Blair is developing a plan to promote "Keeping our Groove on". She knows how difficult it can be to get back to schooling after a long summer break and so she shares her plans to keep the learning going during that "down time" so that the first day back to school isn't such a big change for her children.

Rebeca of Carried On the Wind reminds us that there is more to Learning then textbooks and gives some ideas and links for us homeschooling parents. Although Rebeca's children are young, her post is a good reminder to veteran homeschoolers that learning that comes naturally through our everyday life is more FUN, too!

ChristineMM of ChristineMM shares a story about My Boys and LEGO Play, The Importance of Play. I loved this article because we are big LEGO lovers in my home (my son's room always looks like the LEGO factory exploded in it - LOL!). Christine gives good reasons why LEGOs are more than just a toy!

And speaking of fun while learning, at her blog, By the Word of their Testimony, Karen has posted about Success in Homeschooling and shares the experience of a winning homeschool team that is participating in the FIRST Lego League. Karen Flores say, "It is exciting to see homeschoolers taking on a big responsibility and making it work."

Because most of us take a break from schooling in the summer, it is a great time to look for ways to serve your community. n Trinity Prep School - We're On A Mission..... posted at Trinity Prep School., Maureen shares how she has found that homeschooling allows families time for service opportunities. 

One of those subjects that I don't like to take a long break from is math. Denise at Let's play math! has shared some Hexa-Trex puzzles that would be great for some quick review during those summer months!

And, finally, many of us are experiencing new seasons in our lives ... the youngest children are growing up faster than we can imagine possible, some of our kids are entering high school and, for some of us, our "recipe for successful homeschooling" has been altered so much that it looks nothing like we originally planned. But, even amidst the emotions of these situations, we can see that the end result is often better than expected if we choose homeschooling!

"Babies turn into four-year-old in winter boots, "middle kids" become strapping young men, eleven-year-old brothers take mothers and sisters out for donuts and coffee." Author Rachel Starr Thomson of Inklings looks at the way time changes things and encourages us to make the most of every moment in her post Passing Days and Paper Routes.

Katherine of No Fighting, No Biting has posted exerpts and a commentary about a newspaper article about hiring out many aspects of parenting. In Paying to Parent, Katherine reminds us that all we need is a little bit of common sense and our children will turn out just fine.

Janine of Why Homeschool writes about a recent student newspaper at a high school that focused on explicit sex.  In her post, In the news - March 20, 2007, she challenges the claim that "this is part of real life." If you don't think you can homeschool during high school, this article may just have you seriously reconsidering your intention to send your kids to high school.

In A recipe for homeschooling posted at Principled Discovery, Dana pulls from a recent moment in her life when she had to make substitutions to a recipe she was cooking for dinner. Just like creating this dinner from the ingredients available to her, we are reminded that we shouldn't stress out when our "recipe for homeschooling" takes a different path and we need to make changes ... often the results are better than we thought they would be!  

Well, I sure do hope that you've enjoyed this week's Carnival. I know that I had a great time putting it together for you! Next week's Carnival of Homeschooling #67 will be hosted at Apollos Academy and you can submit your entries for that using this submission form. Aside from blogging about homeschooling here, I also have a personal blog and I invite you to visit me At Home with Kris ... have a great week!

... Kris ...