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Jen Merckling

life. unimaginable

Encouragement

Don't miss these 10 BEST Tips to Successfully Homeschool High School! Give your teen the life skills they need to succeed & achieve their dreams! #homeschool #highschool #howtohomeschool #tips #homeschoolhighschool

10 Best Tips to Successfully Homeschool High School

Today it’s a pleasure to have Miranda Lamb, The Reluctant Cowgirl, on the blog…After homeschooling through high school, she’s sharing her 10 Best Tips to Successfully Homeschool High School! Welcome, Miranda!  Homeschooling through high school was never part of my plan. But I made the mistake of going to a homeschool graduation. As I sat in…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, High School, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, High School, Homeschool, Homeschooling High School, Teens, the homescholar

3 Reasons I Love Homeschooling...even on the mundane days! Homeschooling may not always be cute and exciting--but it's always worth it! #homeschool #encouragement #howtohomeschool #homeschoolbenefits #whyihomeschool

When Your Homeschool Moments Aren’t Instagram Worthy

Most of the moments in our homeschool days don’t feel very “Instagram,” worthy…I wish they could all be cute with pinecones, flowers, and watercolors…(And pants—pants are good.) But no—many of our moments don’t make for great photo ops…The daily grind isn’t always very romantic: math, phonics, worksheets. Not to mention dirty dishes and piles of…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Encouragement, Homeschool, How to Homeschool

Sharing 3 Amazing Books that will change the way you homeschool! I read them this year and was so encouraged and inspired! If you're new to homeschooling or a veteran homeschool mom--these should be on your must read list!

3 Books That Will Change the Way You Homeschool

I’ve been at this homeschool gig for a while now…(wrapping up my 15th year—unbelievable)! And in many ways it feels like I’ve got it down.  I’ve grown into a pretty relaxed, eclectic homeschool mom.  But sometimes when you’ve been doing something for awhile—you just don’t appreciate how much you still need encouragement. How the weariness…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, Homeschool Encouragement, Homeschool Resources, How to Homeschool, Must Read Books

What Grade Level is My Child In?

I always try to prepare my children for social situations–just doing our part to break the awkward turtle homeschool stereotypes!  (“Okay, Little Loves…We are about to enter the library–let’s not run and yell and tear every book off the shelves! That would be awesome!“).  I guarantee my 4-year-old twins will be asked, “How old are…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Grade-Levels, Homeschool Grades, How to Homeschool

Like classroom teachers, Homeschool Moms need workdays to keep organized and learn new skills! Here are 5 Ways Teacher Workdays will help your Homeschool!

5 Reasons Homeschool Moms Need Teacher Workdays

Years ago I taught 2nd grade in a public school.  And while I loved teaching my students–I sure did love my teacher work days!  These are days carved out on the calendar for teachers to get work done–without students! Sometimes they’re called Professional Days or Inservice Days–but regardless of what you call these special work days…Homeschool…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling, Organization Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool Organization, homeschooling, How to Homeschool

Homeschool sick days are inevitable and can lead to feeling overwhelmed! After 15 years homeschooling, here are my tips for getting through sick days!

Homeschool Sick Days

Well, Sweet Friends—cold and flu season is having a party over at my house. I’m currently drowning in a sea of Kleenex…Besides me, five of my six kids have also succumbed to this yuck. And if a houseful of sick people doesn’t derail homeschool plans, I just don’t know what does. It’s easy to get…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, How to Homeschool, Sick Days

Stop feeling overwhelmed by your housework and gain peace of mind with the Flylady! I've been following her routines for years--here's how to get started!

FlyLady Routines — Bless Your Home and Family!

Here’s the truth.  I’m a very messy person at heart.  I was the kid in elementary school who stuffed bent folders, stubby pencils, broken crayons, and crumpled notes into her desk.  Oh how I envied my friends who kept their desks meticulous–shiny folders all in a row, neat pencil boxes (actually filled with pencils and…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Family, Homeschooling, Lifestyle, Most Shared, Organization Tagged With: Cleaning, FlyLady, FlyLady routines, getting organized, Housekeeping, Housework, Organization

There are many misconceptions about homeschooling. One myth, that "homeschooling will save my child," threatens to derail us with guilt and self-doubt.

Homeschooling Will Save My Child (one of many myths)

  So excited to be part of an important series–Homeschool Myths: Busted–Exposing the Truth Behind Homeschool Myths!  Myself and other members of the Homeschool Blogging Connection Team are tackling a wide range of homeschool myths in this series, with the hope of offering encouragement and support.  And while–yes, there are many misconceptions about homeschooling out…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Faith, Homeschool, Homeschool Challenges, Homeschool Encouragement, Homeschool Myths, How to Homeschool, Mental Health

There is much to learn about how to homeschool! One is learning how to teach your child! I'm sharing strategies I learned as classroom teacher to help you teach any lesson for any grade! They've given me confidence over the last 14 years of homeschooling, and I know they will help you!

How To Homeschool –Teaching 101

So you’ve taken the plunge—you’ve decided to start homeschooling!  And I’m so excited for you—it truly has been one of the greatest blessings in my life!  When I started 14 years ago—it felt like a huge leap of faith (you can read all about why I got started and still love it—HERE)!  But now you…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, homeschooling, How to Homeschool

Homeschooling can be hard! But sometimes I've made it harder than it needed to be--sharing some lessons I've learned after 14 years!

5 Ways I’ve Sabotaged My Homeschool

Homeschooling has been part of our family for 14 years—it’s etched into our lifestyle.  There are so many reasons I truly love it—but like most worthwhile endeavors…it comes with some hard days (hard years even)!  Sometimes it’s because we’ve all been sick—nothing like the stomach flu to take you way off your game (and add…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, How to Homeschool

Sometimes we have to make big changes--in the middle of the school year! Here's the advice I gave a friend wondering how to start homeschooling midyear.

How to Start Homeschooling Midyear — Emergency Homeschooling

A little over a year ago, a neighbor approached me–full of concern for a friend, who was wondering how to start homeschooling midyear.  Second semester was well underway–but her friend found herself in crisis-mode and in search of alternative educational choices for her daughter in high school.  The friend was facing a divorce–which involved moving….

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Filed Under: Elementary, Encouragement, High School, Homeschooling, Middle School Tagged With: Affiliate, Emergency Homeschooling, Homeschool, Homeschooling High School, How to Homeschool

After 14 years, I've learned some simple tips for getting my home and homeschool organized, and I've created a planner to help you get organized too!

Get Organized — Homeschool Planner

Today I’m sharing tools and the Homeschool Planner I created to help get me organized!  My hope is this comprehensive planner will help you tackle your own “to-do,” lists and help keep your homeschool planning simple, flexible, and organized! Organization and Mental Health For me—keeping organized is a big part of healthy living.  I’m prone…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Family, Homeschooling, Lifestyle, Organization Tagged With: Affiliate, get organized, homeschool planner, Simple Habits

Kid Activities take time, energy, and money! Are the sacrifices worth it? At our house the benefits outweigh the sacrifices, but there's a fine line.

Kid Activities — Are the Sacrifices Worth It?

The last snowflakes just fell on this year’s Nutcracker ballet. It was beautiful—truly lovely. I wish I could just watch and enjoy the show—but instead I sit with shoulders tense, holding my program in a death grip and barely breathing. My eyes following my fourteen year-old daughter’s every move. Partly because I know the hours…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Family, Homeschooling, Lifestyle Tagged With: Affiliate, elementary school, Homeschool, homeschooling, kid activities, middle school, Parenting

Why I Homeschool — 14 Years of Benefits

I colored inside the lines all my life…Deciding to homeschool was one of the first decisions that really took me off the beaten path. At first, I was terrified of what others would think—I spent a lot of time trying to justify why I homeschool (mostly to myself). Not necessarily because anyone was point-blank asking…

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Homeschooling, Most Shared Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, homeschooling, large family

Learn simple strategies to homeschool with toddlers and preschoolers! Encourage creativity, family realtionships, and let go of perfectionism!

How to Homeschool With Toddlers

A common question I hear from moms is, “How do you homeschool with toddlers?” Sometimes it’s moms questioning whether or not they should even consider homeschooling, because the idea of adding something extra to the job of raising little people who are still in diapers, can’t dress themselves, and are constantly requesting snacks (on very…

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Filed Under: Early Learning, Encouragement, Homeschooling Tagged With: Affiliate, Homeschool, How to Homeschool, Preschool, Toddlers

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Hello! Welcome--I'm Jen! I've got 6 kiddos, twins, toddlers, teens--lots of laundry and always dirty dishes! I've been Jason's wife for 20 years, a mommy for 18 years, and a homeschooler for 14 years...I'd love to be friends. ♡

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