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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This month the South African Homeschool Curriculum website has had over 3000 visitors. Many of them first time visitors. Interpreting the stats shows that there are many parents looking into homeschooling. One of the greatest benefits of being at home with our children is the relationships that grow from the times of mentoring, teaching, sharing and yes, even conflict.

Conflict in a home is an important part of the honing process. Conflict, when handled correctly i.e. in a mature, loving manner, is a tool that a wise parent can use to sharpen their child’s heart and attitude. Often it is these times that also sharpen a parent’s heart.

Advice

Another form of relationship that develops is between the children and their subjects. When you hear the word subject, you possibly still think in school terms. A better word to describe this could be interests, delights, passions or studies. But however you look at it, in the HOMEschool you are able to introduce a wide variety of subjects to your children. Charlotte Mason has said: “Therefore. . . we endeavor that he shall have relations of pleasure and intimacy established with as many possible of the interests proper to him; not learning a slight or incomplete smattering about this or that subject, but plunging into vital knowledge, with a great field before him which in all his life he will not be able to explore.”

Each of these associations with knowledge become relationships which long outlive school days and a matric certificate. You can read more about Charlotte Mason’s thoughts on relationship with subject matter here.

Free Printables

Last month we put up some South African Animal, notebooking pages. This month we are excited to offer you some significant South African personalities. They can be found at Free Printables page on our Footprints website.

Not sure how to use our notebooking pages? Be sure to read about how notebooking deepens your child’s relationship with characters, events and animals. Read more about Homeschool Notebooking.

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

Winter is here and already parts of the country, in particular Plettenberg Bay, have experienced unbelievable weather patterns. Snow, yes snow, littered the main street in Plett on Monday the 21st of May! While we have always had snow in some of our higher lying areas in Winter, this is a first. Perhaps you and your children would like to put it on their timelines and visit www.weathersa.co.za and follow the amazing changes that are taking place this year. Your children may enjoy keeping a casual weather diary. Our advice – stock up on hot chocolate, marshmallows and board games.

As there is not much opportunity for children to be out and playing in the cold wet weather we have put together a concise list of our favorite kids’ activity e-books that you can buy and download to enjoy some creative times with them.

Little Kids Crafts for all seasons

365 Crafts for Kids

Creative Playdough Ideas for Kids

Footprints News

New pages added to www.south-african-homeschool-curriculum.com :

Homeschool Science Programs

High School Science Programs

Open days will be held in Durban and Cape Town to view Footprints On Our Land due in June where we will launch the all new look Footprints into the 21st Century for teens.

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