George Washington, Winston Churchhill, Ronald Reagan, Bill Gates – we can all agree that they have been monumental influences in American history. How can we, realistically speaking, even begin to aspire to be like them? Many homeschoolers are quite motivated – but some of us are shy and hesitant, quiet, a little bit lazy, or just plain unable to believe that we could ever lead a nation, a state, or a corporation – no matter how hard we try. But here is one big fat hint that you would do well to remember at this point in your life:

Many of us envision “leadership” as something that takes place in the boardroom, or in a graduation valedictorian speech. Leadership is seen as the measure of ultimate success in the business world or in academia. But truly, leadership encompasses more of the very manner in which we live our daily lives, the decisions we make, the way in which we carry ourselves, and the full measure of our inner self worth. Leadership is about how much we love and trust ourselves, and how well we communicate with others.

Well, this has certainly been an eventful month! There have been both hilarious and heartbreaking moments that we will never forget.

One of the marvelous benefits of homeschooling is that a love for creative learning cannot be dampened by the constraints of a traditional classroom. First, we’ll begin with a very simple equation that won’t leave you stumped: CREATIVITY = FUN. Next, we’ve come up with some fab-u-lous activities for you to experience right from your living room, and they are chock full of A-rated learning potential.

Many of us have heard the term Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) by now; in fact, most homeschoolers today are involved in virtual classrooms in one way or another. With VLE’s, course information, learning materials, and assignments are provided via the Web, giving homeschoolers the opportunity to participate in some wonderful educational programs they might not be privy to in the home environment.

Did you know that your right to homeschool, indeed your rights as parents are currently in jeopardy? That there are those in governmental leadership right now who would like to make the government responsible for decisions regarding your child?

If you are like me, you value your rights to raise your child according to what you know to be best for him or her. However, the CRC treaty will take those rights away!

Hailing from the port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on the coast of the Red Sea, Kari Peiscopgrau is no stranger to a rich variety of cultures with differing points of view. Through her strong faith and dedication to the homeschool journey, she is making an impact through leadership, creativity, positive thinking, and a willingness to respect other cultures without losing her own sense of self.

Guest Blog Post by Sarah Klase

Have you recently decided that homeschooling is the right move for your family? You will not be alone – researchers estimate that there are 1.5 to 2 million homeschoolers in the United States, representing 3 to 4 percent of school-age children. But if you find yourself still hesitating a bit, you might be asking an important question: what are the legal ramifications of opting to provide my child with a loving and quality education in the home?

We know it’s a biggie… the decision about which method your child will receive his or her education is of monumental importance. Even seasoned parents can find themselves gnawing their fingernails in a back-and-forth state of turmoil over what could be the best decision, or the worst. There are pros and cons to every schooling method – if there weren’t, it would be an easy, cut-and-dried matter. The best thing for a nail-biter to do is take a breath, back up a step, and calmly evaluate each system before making an informed and positive decision that is best for your child and your family.