Creative Homeschooling - Home Business/Internet based

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Creative homeschooling ideas...

...continued!

If your interest was piqued by the creative homeschooling "sparks" we started, read on!

These ideas were all implemented by our family or people I know. They represent the truly creative minds of moms and dads just like you who are teaching their children more than "the 3 R's"...but how to use that knowledge to become creative and dynamic leaders.

Home Business – I know many homeschooling families who also have a home business. Because homeschooling virtually requires that you live on a single-income, developing a home business is a way to teach your children skills they will need in the future while teaching them “the 3 R’s”, and providing some much-welcome income! Obviously, this provides practical applications for math concepts and becoming organized, but your kids will also learn time management, dealing with customers and vendors' written and verbal communication skills, and depending on your business, a whole slew of computer skills! A friend of mine is a mid-wife, and that has led to the study of all sorts of related subjects; home-party businesses provide further practice in oral presentation and communication skills. Our son worked with my husband in his construction business during senior year ~ we were able to apply this both as work-study and life-skills class credit.

If you're interested in pursuing this option for your high-school-aged son or daughter, take a look at my review of a homeschool home business curriculum. The course not only teaches how to get started in your own business, but because you create-as-you-learn, the final product is the firm foundation to an actual business! You can get more information here.

Another good on-line resource is Show Kids the Money. This site offers ways for adults to help kids and teens investigate and develop their entrepreneurial spirit - and yours as well!

HSLDA has a daily 2-minute radio program that discusses a variety or parenting topics. This week-long series covers an interview with Linda Raasch of Bizkids, as she explains how teaching entrepreneurship and financial responsibility gives your child a sense of satisfaction, self-confidence and responsibility.

Blog or Website Development – This can also segue way into a home business, as there are many ways today to earn money by blogging. Blogging teaches your kids to be responsible in a different sense, as they will need to create posts on some sort of scheduled basis. It will encourage their creativity and writing skills, and, if they choose to make their blog a money-generating venture, help them develop money-handling and budgeting skills as well! Website development can be a high school level course that can also become a source of future income. Given "brains and motivation" it's quite possible a web-based business would help your college-bound student at least contribute to the expenses of their own higher education! The program that I used to build this website comes with a plethora of educational materials. After going thru it myself, we plan on using it as a "mandatory elective" ;-) with our high-schoolers!

All of these ideas will require lots of balance in terms of time and energy on the part of the parent/teacher. I would not recommend attempting to start a home business or website if you're new to homeschooling, but this is a great idea for the "veteran" to inject some refreshing creativity and a challenge for their middle or upper level student, as well as to encourage or mentor them in their future career choices. In regards to creative homeschooling ~ the sky's the limit here!

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