Free Homeschool Books

This time of the year, school supplies are on sale, and many homeschooling parents start thinking about the books, curriculum, supplies, software, etc. they’ll need for the coming year.

They’ll also need encouragement to get them through another year of homeschooling. When I was still homeschooling, I wrote three eBooks for homeschooling parents. I called them the Stages of Homeschooling series: one eBook for prospective and beginning homeschooling parents, one eBook for those in the thick of homeschooling, and one eBook for parents of homeschooled teens.

These three eBooks will be available for FREE on Amazon.com next month:

Stages of Homeschooling Book 1: Beginnings will be free from August 5-9, 2019

Stages of Homeschooling Book 2: Enjoying the Journey will be free from August 12-16, 2019

Stages of Homeschooling Book 3: Letting Go will be free from August 19-23, 2019.

So mark your calendar and tell your friends. Get your free eBooks while you can!

Children, YouTube and Momo

A six-year-old girl is watching a “Peppa Pig” video on her cell phone when it is suddenly interrupted by the creepy suicide-game character Momo, which frightens her, and alarms her mother when she shows her.

Mom responds by removing the YouTube app from the child’s phone and tablet.

OK, so Mom has solved the immediate problem. But why does this young child have a phone? Or a tablet? I understand that these tiny portable babysitters are extremely convenient for busy parents who want to keep kids out of their hair, but this whole technology thing is getting out of control.

Parents have been parking their kids in front of the television for about 70 years now, but children’s television shows were vetted and usually safe for children’s consumption. (Not that I’m saying it’s good to use the television as a babysitter, but I’m being realistic here.) Now people are giving free rein to kids to watch anything posted by anyone.

This is going to sound really old-fashioned, but my question is, why don’t today’s parents say:

“Go read a book.”

“Go play with your toys.”

“Go play in the yard.”

instead of giving them phones and tablets? Books and toys are certainly safer, and far more educational.