Updates from Daisy Witherell Déry

What If Homeschooling Wasn't About Achievement at All?


Okay, as soon as I read this, I immediately thought of homeschoolers.

Why?

Because so many seem trapped in this idea of their kids needing to achieve things: grade level, reading level, completion of a curriculum, etc.

What if instead of seeing homeschooling as a series of tasks to achieve, you saw it instead as a series of contributions—to their life, to your life, to your relationship?

Think about reading aloud to your child.

Is the goal to achieve a certain number of pages or books? To tick off a reading list?

Or is the real value in the contribution it makes: to your connection, their vocabulary, their imagination, their understanding of people, story and language?

A math curriculum is similar. If it becomes a rigid checklist of achievements—every lesson completed (and maybe mastered), every page filled out—it’s easy to lose sight of its contribution. What, and who, is this curriculum for?

If a concept in math is useful, meaningful or leads to deeper understanding, then it’s contributing. But if it’s just busywork or causing stress with little to no return (like facts that are simply not being mastered or large multiplication that they'll NEVER do by hand in high school and later on), then maybe that part isn’t contributing anything worthwhile—and you’re allowed to leave it behind.

That’s the beauty of homeschooling. You’re not beholden to a system that measures success by completion or comparison. You get to measure value by contribution.

So maybe today, instead of asking yourself, “What did we get done?” try asking, “What did we build? What did we enjoy? What added value to our day, or our relationship, or their growth?”

That’s a different lens.

That’s a freeing lens.

And I think Drucker was onto something.

"Odd as it seems,
you will achieve the greatest results in your homeschool
 if you drop the word 'achievement'
from your vocabulary. 
Replace it with 'contribution.'"

What Counts as Learning During the Summer?

What Counts as Learning During the Summer?
Yes, all of it counts. The play, the questions, the messy projects, the walks, the conversations, the spontaneous curiosity. It's all learning. Maybe not the kind you can file or check off in a curriculum guide… but the kind that sticks. The kind that builds confident, capable, connected kids.

So if you're feeling behind, or worried your summer doesn't look "productive enough," I hope this list reminds you that your kids are still learning, and you're still doing enough.
Give yourself permission to enjoy this season. You don’t have to press pause on joy to keep moving forward.

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Need a Simple Summer Activity Plan? Try This Fun Choice Board!

Need a Simple Summer Activity Plan? Try This Fun Choice Board!
Summer homeschooling doesn’t have to mean worksheets. Here’s a choice board your kids can use to stay active, creative, and just the right amount of screeny. 😉
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Dear Homeschool Mom: You’re Making Language Arts Harder than It Needs to Be

In navigating the complexities of homeschooling language arts, many parents grapple with the misconception that a "complete" language arts curriculum is essential. Language arts, comprising various interwoven skills like reading, writing, grammar and listening, isn't confined to a singular subject that needs exhaustive coverage each year. Attempting to tackle every aspect simultaneously can lead to burnout and an overwhelming schedule for both parents and children.

Interestingly, schools themselves don't delve deeply into every facet of language arts annually; instead, they employ methods like spiral learning which allow for flexibility and progression over time. Homeschoolers have the autonomy to tailor their approach, focusing on individual strengths and specific needs rather than adhering to a predetermined checklist. By moving away from rigid structures, parents can better support their children's learning through real-world application, creative writing and engaging discussions.

A more effective approach emphasizes quality over quantity by fostering environments where children read, write and engage with language organically. Encouraging discussions about books, allowing for free writing and targeting specific areas of struggle with brief lessons can be more beneficial. Remember, language arts flourishes through active use and enjoyment, so stepping away from overly structured programs can often liberate a child's potential and nurture their love for language.



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Fun & Low-Stress Math Activities

Fun & Low-Stress Math Activities
Looking to make math engaging and enjoyable without the pressure of traditional schoolwork? Whether you're involved in homeschooling, after-school enrichment, or simply wanting to incorporate some practical number sense into daily life, this guide offers a variety of fun math activities that don't require complex equations or worksheets. These activities are designed to reignite a love for math in kids who might be overwhelmed by conventional methods, putting the emphasis on puzzles, games, and real-world experiences.

Choose from a myriad of games, puzzles, and creative projects to encourage mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. Dive into Sudoku, tangram challenges, or unique card games that foster addition and subtraction. Young learners can also bolster their reasoning abilities with math riddles, logic puzzles, and real-life problem-solving scenarios like planning budgets or estimating grocery costs.

Incorporate math into daily life by comparing grocery prices, designing dream spaces, or even experimenting in the kitchen with recipe adjustments and measurements. Creativity takes center stage with activities like designing a math-themed comic strip or crafting a board game. All these activities ensure math learning remains a dynamic and enjoyable adventure beyond the classroom.
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Meet Daisy Witherell Déry

 
When my kids were babies, so much stuff aimed at moms had to do with protecting the kids from poisonous, even deadly, cleaning products in the home: the kitchen sprays, the bathroom cleaners, the windows cleaners... You had to keep them in out-of-reach spaces or put baby locks on everything. This didn’t make sense to me. Why would I want dangerous, even deadly, products in my home? Why would I even want to clean with dangerous products?

So, I embarked on a journey to try to use safe-for-my-kids products. This led me to environmentally friendly cleaning approaches. Well, of course! If it’s safe for the environment, it’s safe for inside my home and vice versa! I bought a book with tons of ideas and recipes and did use some of them. When I first started using essential oils, I thought, “What a great idea! I can mix the two!”

But, you know, motherhood, and then homeschooling, take up time, so those ideas didn’t get followed through on and those safe products didn’t get made. Aaaand… certain cleaning products stayed in the home, although I did make sure that there was no skull and crossbones symbols on any of them.

Things changed when I finally found a safe cleaner that was not only safe for our home and the environment, but could also basically replace ALL of the other cleaners in the home. Safe + saves space + saves time? Win! I didn’t realize at the time how much of a win it was. Walking down the cleaning aisle at the grocery store these days, maybe looking for sponges or what have you, I find it shocking that there are so many different possible cleaners being sold when a good all-purpose cleaner can do the bulk of it (and without the heavy, synthetic scents—that’s another thing that I find shocking walking down that aisle! cough cough cough)

I’m so glad I no longer have all the different bottles of cleaners and certainly don’t have all the harmful ingredients in my home. My kids may be adults now, but it’s still important that our home be safe for me and my husband—and our little fur balls, too.

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