I've just discovered something so AMAZINGLY awesome that I didn't even know existed until today. For Christmas, my detective-loving son received invisible ink pens that come with a blacklight on the cap that makes the ink from the pen glow. How cool is that?! A pair of secret agent buddies can each ...
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The Talent Code
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Is “talent” real? After reading this book, I’m not so sure. The author of this book explores talent hot beds in a variety of fields such as soccer and music to try and understand why certain places seem to produce a disproportionate amount of talent. The concept is fascinating. Through understanding ...
Multiplication Star Charts
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I know that there can be pitfalls with using star charts. However, I can’t help but feel that they deserve a place in my parenting toolbox. After all, even though they have a bad rap, bribes can be really effective in the moment. Do I care if my son never chooses to study his multiplication facts on ...
Gratitude Journal for Kids
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When it comes to being a parent, above all, I want to raise good people. Sometimes, between all the sibling bickering and potty words, I wonder if I'm AT ALL doing a decent job. I made this gratitude journal for kids as a way to hopefully improve my own kids' attitudes and build their character. ...
Let’s Play Math
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As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a HUGE fan of the growth mindset math promoted by You Cubed. I love everything I’ve ever read by Jo Boaler, the director at You Cubed. However, I’ve recently read a book that I found even MORE useful in thinking about how I want to educate my children. Let’s Play Math ...
Raspberry Pi Computer Building for Kids
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I'll be honest. I'm a little cheap. I wasn't always this way, but I've been with my ultra-frugal husband for almost 20 years now (crazy) and he's rubbed off a bit. An organization in my area that provides STEM classes for kids recently advertised a computer building class for nearly FOUR HUNDRED ...
Escape the Room: Stargazer’s Manor
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I didn’t use this game at all as intended, but even so, I think it is fantastic! Although I'm sure it would be fun, we did not use this game at a party or with a time limit. Instead, my 7 year old son and I just did it off-and-on one Sunday afternoon. I LOVED that he was so eager to work hard for ...
Homemade Traveler’s Notebook
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A couple months back, I was listening to this homeschooling podcast, when the interviewee said that her kids used traveler's notebooks. I was intrigued by the idea of my kids journaling in notebooks which could be easily and inexpensively swapped out as they filled them up. I ended up making 4 ...
Parent Effectiveness Training
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I don’t know why, but I’m always surprised when I read a parenting book from decades ago that I find really insightful. It’s not like modern parents have a monopoly on good parenting skills. I recently found an inexpensive copy of Parent Effectiveness Training, which was originally published in ...
Low Floor High Ceiling Math Problems
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Last spring, when I said I wanted to teach a math class to kids between the ages of 9 and 14 at our local homeschool co-op, people looked at me like I was crazy. "You can't teach the same math to a 9 and 14 year old." "Their ability levels vary too greatly to do math in a co-op setting." That's what ...
Michelle has a PhD in Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree from the California Institute of Technology. 