Reaching Higher is a free, monthly homeschool ezine to encourage and equip homeschoolers, bringing you the best advice, articles, websites and encouragement we can to help you as you raise your young ones and build your family legacy!

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Holidays

Holidays are here!

In the Western Cape, school holidays have arrived. Easter is just around the corner and moms are finishing up a busy first term. Shirley will more than likely have a new little family member when she starts up again in April so she is preparing for the birth of a baby.

How do you feel now that the first three months of the year are over? Have you achieved what you set out to do in this time or do you feel like you had an aimless first term? Perhaps you wanted to do more nature study? Maybe you didn’t do enough outings…or perhaps you felt like you found more areas where your children needed development?

Isn’t it wonderful that the holidays give you time to brainstorm, think and plan! And the great thing is that if you have seen areas that you were lacking in this term, you can turn them into opportunities for the next one.

Advice - Enjoying Time Out Together

Although homeschooling enables us to constantly work on building our relationships with our children, holidays are a time when we can focus more on that aspect of our family life, since the school routine and its demands are laid aside for a while.

Use this time firstly, to refresh yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually and then look for opportunities to spend time with your children enjoying pursuits with them that you possibly don't often have time for during the school term:

Also make sure your children have ample time to play, to see friends or simply rest in whatever manner they choose!

Free Printables

Last month we referred to you to our South African Houses and Homes, Notebooking pages. This month we are excited to offer you some South African Animal Notebooking pages. They can be found at Free Printables page on our Footprints website.

STOP PRESS! - We will bring you free printable notebooking pages in every issue of this E-zine! These pages are specifically designed for families who use Footprints On Our Land programs but are available for use in all homes as your children delight in our land.

Websites

Since Easter will soon be upon us, be sure to plan some appropriate activities to teach your children more about why this should be the most significant celebration on our Christian calendar. We need to de-emphasise the chocolate eggs and bunnies and focus on the significance of Passover, Jesus’ sacrificial death and Resurrection Sunday. You may even prefer to use those terms instead of the word “Easter” which is derived from the name of a pagan goddess!

For loads of information and activities go to Annie’s Easter Pages

Footprints News

In December we asked a group of young people for their input and feelings about our Footprints into The 21st Century program for 13 – 16 year olds. We also sought the advice of a seasoned homeschooling mom who has successfully graduated one of her daughters from homeschool to university. All the ideas and input have now been implemented into this program and some of the books changed as well as new ones been added. The release of the all new look Footprints into The 21st Century is due for May 2007.

There will be open days held in Durban and Cape Town in April for homeschooling parents to view the three programs. Make sure you check our Homeschooling Events page for details.

Till next month, we wish you every blessing

Wendy and Shirley

www.south-african-homeschool-curriculum.com

Footprints On Our Land - South African Homeschool Curriculum