It's human nature - everybody has things they regret, or at least, things they'd do differently if they could. But a thoughtful reader told us she was tired of hearing everybody's regrets - what about things we did homeschooling that turned out well, or even better than we expected?

This episode we share several things that made our homeschooling adventure more enjoyable, less anxious, and more effective for everybody. And even if you've been homeschooling for years and years, you'll find useful ideas even veterans can use!

One Decision We Live With Every Day!

We each had a personal library of favorite books when we got married, but as young parents we started acquiring books for our children, too. Our kids have grown up with lots of books surrounded by books absolutely swimming in books (consider the impact of eight kids and each has their own growing collection ...)

The research is confirming that this is actually a good thing. A study from the Australian National University surveyed 160,000 adults from 31 different countries, from the U.S. and U.K. to Turkey, Japan, and Chile.

Respondents, who ranged in age from 25 to 65, were asked to estimate how many books were in their house when they were 16 years old. The research team was interested in this question because home library size can be a good indicator of what the study authors term “book-oriented socialization.” Participants were able to select from a given range of books that included everything from “10 or less” to “more than 500.”

The surveys, which were taken between 2011 and 2015, showed that the average number of books in participants’ childhood homes was 115, but that number varied widely from country to country. The average library size in Norway was 212 books, for instance; in Turkey, it was 27. Across the board, however, it seemed that more books in the home was linked to higher proficiency in the areas tested by the survey.

(Read more at Smithsonian Magazine)

Interestingly, the study found that a person who grew up surrounded by books but left school after the ninth grade, has nearly the same literacy scores as a university graduate who didn't have many books growing up

“So, literacy-wise, bookish adolescence makes up for a good deal of educational advantage,” the study authors write.

How's that for your good news of the day?

Here's our favorite cartoon about people like us ... can you relate?

 

NEWS AND INFORMATION

NEW SPEAKING EVENTS: We've added three new events to our speaking schedule - next month we'll be in Danville, Va., on February 22, and in April, Winnsboro, La. on the 7th and Shreveport, La. on the 9th. Would you like to have us speak at your event? Your support group, parents' club, church, or other gathering? It's super easy when we're already on the road. Check out our events page and then drop us a line here - we'd love to hear from you!

 

Special Thanks to Our Network Sponsor - Christian Standard Bible

The Christian Standard Bible captures the Bible’s original meaning without compromising clarity. An optimal blend of accuracy and readability, this translation helps readers make a deeper connection with God’s Word and inspires lifelong discipleship.