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Homeschool Rising: Shattering Myths, Finding Courage, and Opting Out of the School System
by Christy-FaithTake a good look at the reasons why homeschooling can help today's kids thrive Homeschool Rising is a guide for anyone interested in homeschooling their children, regardless of background. It busts through the myths surrounding homeschooling, reveals the failures of our current school system, and demonstrates how home education and loving, motivated parents can provide a solution for students and families everywhere. There are many assumptions made about homeschooling—that the child will be "socially awkward" due to lack of social interaction, that parents are not equipped to educate their children, that homeschooling is only for White, Christian, middle-class parents, and more. In Homeschool Rising, educator Christy-Faith offers insights from more than 20 years in the field and her experience working with thousands of students to debunk these myths and misconceptions. The truth is, homeschooling sets today’s students up for success in a way that traditional schooling no longer can. This authoritative yet casual and accessible guide provides parents the tools, courage, and knowledge to opt out of the school system and take charge of their children's education. Clear up the confusion and misconception surrounding homeschooling See why homeschooling is a great option for kids of any race, religion, and background Gain the knowledge you need to start your kids off on the right foot with homeschooling Make sure your homeschooled kids are getting the support they need academically and socially New and experienced homeschoolers looking for support, as well as educators, psychologists, and others who work with homeschooled children, will love the clear, evidence-backed, and conversational information in Homeschool Rising.
Homeschool Your Child for Free: More Than 1,400 Smart, Effective, and Practical Resources for Educating Your Family at Home
by Lauramaery Gold Joan M. ZielinskiProvide a solid education at home without breaking the bank. Introduced in 2000,Homeschool Your Child for Freegave countless parents the plan and peace of mind to get their kids’ education on the right track. Now, authors LauraMaery Gold and Joan M. Zielinski have revised and updated their popular guide, offering their expert homeschooling advice and information, plus new tools and resources to help you and your child succeed: • Complete curriculum plans for a comprehensive education, from preschool through high school • Where to find free online courses; NEW! • Ways to partner with public schools; NEW! • Legal guidelines and compliance requirements for home educators • Keys to graduating a homeschooler; NEW! • Developing personal finance management and life skills; NEW! • Teaching tips and motivators from successful homeschoolers • Career and vocational guidance; NEW! • And so much more! Comprehensive and clear,Homeschool Your Child for Freegives you access to free instructional material–from reading-readiness activities for preschoolers to science projects for teens–to help build a strong foundation that will last into adulthood. You don’t need to drain your bank account to guarantee a good education for your child. With a computer and the Internet, you have the largest library and laboratory right at your fingertips–all for free!
Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing 12- to 18-Year-Olds for Success in the College of Their Choice
by Cafi CohenEverything You Need to Prepare Your Homeschooler for College SuccessThe transition from homeschooling children to preparing them for success in college deserves both planning and preparation. As the parent of a homeschooler, you have many issues to consider besides academic excellence: fulfilling other people's expectations and standards, tackling standardized tests and application essays, and introducing your homeschooler to the atmosphere of a college campus.Now you can direct your child confidently and effectively. This important addition to Prima's acclaimed homeschooling series is filled with tips and insider advice from homeschooling families whose children now attend the schools of their choice. Inside are the answers to your questions, including how to:·Decide what type of college is right for your homeschooler ·Develop the proper college-preparatory curriculum for your child ·Learn what colleges expect from homeschooled applicants ·Prepare your homeschooler for the admissions process"Cafi Cohen is THE source for the high school homeschooler looking to apply to his or her favorite college." --Manfred Smith, president and founder, Maryland Home Education Association"Don't start homeschooling your college-bound teenager without this book. Cafi Cohen is your homeschooler's personal guidance counselor." --Maureen McCaffery, editor in chief, Homeschooling Today"A must-read for homeschool parents exploring higher-education options for their children. This book will equip, encourage, and empower parents and their students." --Tom Ertz, director, Marion (Iowa) Home School Assistance Program"An outstanding resource for homeschooling teens and their parents. With its invaluable resource listings and handy checklists, this book will allay many of the concerns of college-bound homeschoolers." --Jeanne Biggerstaff, homeschooling parent and president, Oregon Home Education Network"If you are homeschooling a child and wonder about college, then read this book!" --Billy and Nancy Greer, Fun BooksFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Homeschooling: The Teen Years
by Cafi CohenDiscover the Rewards of Homeschooling Your Teen ·Create unlimited learning on a limited budget ·Discover teaching methods for teens with different learning styles ·Utilize the best resources and technology ·Prepare your teen for college, career, and adult life The teen years can be the most exciting time in your child's life. He or she is becoming an independent young adult and beginning to make decisions for the future. Yet growing concern about the negative social pressures, safety, and efficiency of our traditional high schools has prompted many parents just like you to teach their teenagers at home. WithHomeschooling: The Teen Yearsas your guide, you'll discover it's not as daunting a task as you've been led to believe. Using real-life stories from dozens of families, this book reveals the secrets of making homeschooling work for you and your teen. You'll discover how to: ·Work with your teen to create a unique, individual learning experience ·Make coursework interesting, challenging, and fun ·Allow your teen to discover the best vocational path, including selecting a college ·Know when your teen has "completed" high school ·And much more! "Contains three of the most helpful sentences I've ever read on the question of homeschooling: 'Just start. ' 'You will make mistakes. ' 'No big deal. ' What excellent advice! One of the most thoroughly helpful books I've read in years. If you're homeschooling a teenager you'll want—and need—this outstanding book!"— Helen Hegener, managing editor ofHome Education Magazine "Am I crazy? Homeschool my teen? But how do I do it, when should I do it, where do I find information, and is this really a good choice? If this sounds like you, stop shopping and start reading. This book provides insights and solutions to questions from A to Z. Highly recommended!"— Cindy Stanley, sponsor of the Homeschooling for Everyone Conferences "Lots of practical tips, examples, and help. I loved the smorgasbord of ideas from other homeschooling parents of teens, showing the wide range of ways to learn and excel. "— Judith Waite Allee, coauthor ofHomeschooling on a Shoestring From the Trade Paperback edition.
Homeschooling: The Early Years
by Linda DobsonDiscover the Rewards of Homeschooling Your Young ChildYoung children are full of curiosity, imagination, and a sense of wonder. They're willing to try new things and possess a natural joy of discovery. Yet in a traditional school, these natural behavior traits are too often squelched. That's why more and more parents just like you are choosing to teach their children at home during these critical years--the years that lay the foundation for developing learning skills that last a lifetime. Inside, respected homeschooling author Linda Dobson shows you how homeschooling can work for you and your young child. You'll discover how to: ·Tailor homeschooling to fit your family's unique needs ·Know when your child is ready to learn to read ·Teach your child arithmetic without fear--even if you're math-challenged ·Give your child unlimited learning on a limited budget ·And much more! "Brings dazzling clarity to the otherwise nerve-wracking confusion of early learning--and the adventure of becoming fully human. Highly recommended."--John Taylor Gatto,former New York State Teacher of the Year and author of Dumbing Us Down "Provides a much-needed introduction to living and learning with young children. Open the book to any page and you'll find inspiring anecdotes and approaches to learning that leave the reader thinking, 'That just makes so much sense!' Highly recommended for anyone who lives, works, or plays with young children."--Helen Hegener, managing editor of Home Education Magazine "An information-packed delight; I only wish it had been around when our three boys were three to eight years old."--Rebecca Rupp, author of The Complete Home Learning Sourcebook "This book brings together the experience and wisdom of a great variety of homeschooling families--tied together with warm encouragement and wonderful simplification of processes that can seem so mysterious and daunting to the beginner. A very solid resource!"--Lillian Jones, homeschooling activist, writer, and reviewerFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Homeschooling
by Martine Millman Gregory MillmanThis intimate, eminently practical memoir of a successful homeschooled family of six children illuminates today's most exciting choice in education, and shows how it works from cradle to college. What is it that homeschoolers do that the public schools can't or won't? There are at least as many answers as there are studies. But nothing can capture the homeschooling experience in all its richness like the story of a real family that homeschools its children in middleclass America. Homeschooling: A Family's Journey is the perfect book for those millions of Americans who may know someone who homeschools, who may have read about it, thought about it, and wondered whether homeschooling is right for them. Sharing the concerns of committed parents everywhere, authors Gregory and Martine Millman are consistently practical, informed, caring, and no-nonsense in their approach. They pay special attention to homeschooling and college, the economics of home-learning, and how a parent can really handle a child's full education. Homeschooling opens a window on an exciting, important way of education--and, even more, a way of life--that can make all the difference in your family's world.
The Homeschooling Book of Answers - Revised: The 101 Most Important Questions Answered by Homeschooling's Most Respected Voices
by Linda DobsonUp-to-date answers to all your homeschooling questions!More and more families today are turning to homeschooling to teach their children. But where do they go to find honest, practical answers to questions such as: Can I afford it? Or, how will my child make friends without going to school? Look no further. This invaluable guidebook--completely updated to include the 101 most important homeschooling concerns--answers all those questions and more. Inside, you'll learn: ·Methods of motivating, teaching, and testing homeschooled children ·The latest on the growing use of distance-learning tools ·Ways to homeschool your special-needs child ·The differences between homeschooling younger children and teenagers Drawing from the collective wisdom and experience of homeschooling's most respected voices, The Homeschooling Book of Answers is your essential guide to this widely popular--and flexible--educational approach. "I can't imagine a more helpful book on homeschooling--a happy marriage of the realistic with the idealistic, the passionate with the practical."--George Leonard, author, Education and Ecstasy"Of the many books on home education that have come across my desk, this is the most usable for the beginning homeschooler."--Jerry Mintz, Director, Alternative Education Resource Organization"Provides useful information that demystifies and makes accessible the homeschooling experience."--Marty Layne, author of Learning at Home: A Mother's Guide to HomeschoolingFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Homeschooling for Absolute Beginners: Make Learning at Home Simple, Affordable, Fun, and Effective
by Lorilee LippincottYou can homeschool. And it can be simpler, cheaper, and better than you ever imagined! The mere thought of homeschooling can be overwhelming. What curriculum do I choose? What if we can&’t afford all the books? How do I schedule our time? Will my children become socially awkward recluses? What if I screw up my kids&’ education?! Take a deep breath. You've got this! Lorilee Lippincott, a seasoned homeschooling mom, shows just how simple homeschooling can be. She and her husband taught their two kids in a one-bedroom apartment before picking up and moving the whole family to China. They&’ve discovered that they don&’t need rooms full of books, educational toys, and other teaching tools, nor do they need schedules packed full of extracurricular activities, field trips, and social events. Perhaps even more importantly, they don&’t need to panic about making sure their kids turn out okay. It&’s actually all pretty simple, she tells readers. But homeschooling well does require some planning and dedication. Here you&’ll find all your questions answered in Lippincott&’s straightforward, warm, and witty style. Topics covered include:How to instill curiosity and a love of learningTypes of homeschoolingYour socialization fears assuagedHow to create simple schedules and stick to themTips for keeping costs downTeaching kids with disabilitiesThe benefits of play timeLegal requirementsHow to avoid burnoutAnd much more!Full of anecdotes, interviews with other homeschooling families, and wisdom, this is a must-have for any family new to or considering the homeschooling life.
Homeschooling For Dummies (For Dummies Ser.)
by Jennifer KaufeldIf you believe that a good education is the greatest gift you can give your child, you’re probably pretty unhappy with what’s being taught in most classrooms these days. If you think that education should do more than just train kids to take standardized tests, that it should build their critical thinking skills, enable them to weigh ethical considerations, instill a passion for learning, and reflect your core values and beliefs, then you’re probably fed up with the current state of our schools. If, like many parents, you’re wondering whether homeschooling can be the solution you’re looking for, then you’ll be happy to know that the answer is yes–and Home Schooling For Dummies shows you how. This friendly, well-informed guide is a valuable resource for parents considering homeschooling, as well as veteran homeschooler interested in fresh homeschooling ideas. It gets you on track with what you need to know to confidently: De termine whether homeschooling is right for you and your family Get started in homeschooling Obtain teaching materials Develop a curriculum that reflects your values and beliefs Comply with all legal requirements Find healthy social outlets for your kids Join a homeschooling cooperative From textbooks to computers to state compliance, expert Jennifer Kaufeld, covers all the bases. She anticipates most of your questions about homeschooling and answers them with clear, easy-to-follow answers enlivened by real-life accounts by parents around the nation who have opted to homeschool their children. Topics covered include: Deciding at what age to begin Determining your kid’s learning style and teaching to it Teaching special needs children Developing a curriculum that’s right for your children Finding social outlets for you homeschoolers Complying with state and federal regulations Teaching at the primary, middle school and high school levels Preparing for the SATs, ACT and other key standardized tests Networking with other homeschoolers You shouldn’t have to compromise on your children’s education. Get Homeschooling For Dummies and find out how to turn your home into a school and raise smart, well-adjusted kids.
Homeschooling For Dummies (For Dummies Ser.)
by Jennifer KaufeldSelect the right curriculum Create the perfect homeschooling space Design a schedule that works for you What you should know to become a homeschooling pro! Interest in homeschooling was booming even before the coronavirus pandemic inspired many parents to consider the homeschooling choice as an alternative to in-person classroom learning. Fully updated with new resources and technologies, this guide is just what you need to help you decide whether homeschooling is right for your family. Learn about the rewards and challenges presented by homeschooling, how to ensure that your children receive a well-rounded education, where to find tools that help you develop appropriate curricula, and how to connect with the homeschooling community. Inside... Creating a curriculum Meeting state and federal guidelines How to encourage socialization Using online courses Tips for keeping life in balance Creating or joining a homeschooling community Caring for special needs
Homeschooling for Excellence: How to Take Charge of your Child's Education--and Why You Absolutely Must
by David Colfax Micki ColfaxA guide for parents considering homeschooling.
Homeschooling for Success: How Parents Can Create a Superior Education for Their Child
by Rebecca Kochenderfer Elizabeth KannaThe renowned experts fromthe popular Web site Homeschool.com present the ultimate guide to the fastest growing trend in education.With continual reports on the decline of Americas educational system, its no wonder that millions of parents are considering homeschooling. Statistics show that homeschooled children score higher on the SAT and ACT exams than traditionally schooled children, and by the 8th grade are doing work four grades above their level. Now, for the more than two million parents who currently homeschool their childrenand the countless others who are considering this educational optionthefounders of the #1 homsechooling Web site, Homeschool.com, present a comprehensive, nondenominational guide that can help anyone create a customized education to suit the strengths and weaknesses of their child. This book covers everything from getting started to legal requirements to single and working parent concerns and is an essential resource for anyone interested in homeschooling.
The Homeschooling Handbook: How to Make Homeschooling Simple, Affordable, Fun, and Effective
by Lorilee LippincottThe mere thought of homeschooling can be overwhelming. What curriculum do I choose? What if we can't afford all the books? How do I schedule our time? Will my children become socially awkward recluses? What if I screw up my kids' education?! Lorilee Lippincott, a seasoned homeschooling mom, shows just how simple homeschooling can be. She and her husband taught their two kids in a one-bedroom apartment before picking up and moving the whole family to China. They've discovered that they don't need rooms full of books, educational toys, and other teaching tools, nor do they need schedules packed full of extracurricular activities, field trips, and social events. Perhaps even more importantly, they don't need to panic about making sure their kids turn out okay. It's actually all pretty simple, she tells readers.But homeschooling well does require some planning and dedication, and a book like The Homeschooling Handbook to be your guide. Here you'll find all your questions answered in Lippincott's straightforward, warm, and witty style. Topics covered include:How to instill curiosity and a love of learningTypes of homeschoolingYour socialization fears assuagedHow to create simple schedules and stick to themTips for keeping costs downTeaching kids with disabilitiesThe benefits of play timeLegal requirementsHow to avoid burnoutAnd much more!Full of anecdotes, interviews with other homeschooling families, and wisdom, this is a must-have for any family considering the homeschooling life.
The Homeschooling Handbook, Revised 2nd Edition: From Preschool to High School, a Parent’s Guide (Prima Home Learning Library)
by Mary GriffithDon't Even Think About Teaching Your Child at Home--Until You Read This BookDiscover why millions of parents are homeschooling their children. In this revised edition of her groundbreaking book, Mary Griffith tells you everything you need to know about the fastest-growing educational movement in the country, including: ·When, why, and how to homeschool ·Detailed learning ideas for the primary, middle, and teen years ·How to navigate the local regulations ·Strategies to avoid burnout and strengthen family relationships ·Resources in the communitty and the homeschooling network ·And more!Whether you're one of the nearly one million families in the country already homeschooling, planning to take the plunge, or just testing the water, this hands-on book will help! "The Homeschooling Handbook is a valuable resource for anyone intersted in nurturing their child. Whether you homeschool or not, you will find many fresh ideas for working with children in these pages."--Patrick Farenga, publisher, Growing Without Schooling"If you're looking for practical, commonsense advice about homeschooling, if you're looking for answers to the really tough questions from someone with real insights to the movement, if you're looking for sensible commentary backed up by experience and saavy, Mary Griffith's The Homeschooling Handbook is just what you're looking for!"--Helen Hegener, editor, Home Education MagazineFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Homeschooling in America: Capturing and Assessing the Movement
by Joseph MurphyThis revealing and balanced portrait of homeschooling today provides a full history of the movement, demographic insights, and extensive research on how homeschooled children fare in the United States. Delving into a movement that impacts more students nationwide than the entire charter school movement, this book explores: The history of homeschooling in America How this movement has grown in credibility and enrollment exponentially The current state of homeschooling, including questions about who gets homeschooled, why, and what is the success-academically and in life-of students who are homeschooled The impact of homeschooling on the student and on American societyIn 2010, more than two million students were homeschooled. In the most extensive survey and analysis of research on homeschooling, spanning the birth of the movement in the 1970s to today, Homeschooling in America shines a light on one of the most important yet least understood social movements of the last forty years and explores what it means for education today.
Homeschooling in America: Capturing and Assessing the Movement
by Joseph F. MurphyA surprising portrait of homeschooling today Today, two million U.S. children are homeschooled, and their numbers have grown meteorically. Preeminent educational scholar Joseph Murphy draws on research spanning four decades to offer a revealing and balanced look at the growth of the homeschooling movement. Readers will find: A complete history of the homeschooling movement Demographic insights on today’s homeschooling families Discussion of motivations for homeschooling, and how those vary among different groups Comprehensive information on how homeschooled students fare academically, socially, and professionally An illuminating perspective on how the homeschooling movement is influencing public education and society overall
The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When It's Right for Your Family
by Lisa RiveroIn this accessible and honest look at homeschooling, Lisa Rivero explores the diverse faces of homeschooled students and the ways in which it can help children with special learning needs. She corrects misconceptions through profiles of diverse families and addresses the changing and complex needs of children today. This book addresses the major questions parents are bound to have as they consider this option: socialization, curriculum, special needs arrangements, resources, and more.
The Homeschooling Starter Guide: How to Create and Adapt the Best Education Action Plan for Your Needs
by Gina M. RileyGet started with homeschooling for grade levels K-12Homeschooling can help kids of all ages immerse themselves in learning that builds on their unique strengths, interests, and preferences. It gives them the chance to thrive with one-on-one attention and customized lesson plans that fit their learning style—and their family's needs. This starter guide to homeschooling is the ultimate resource for turning any home into an ideal school environment and helping any child succeed.Learn how to homeschool:Schooling styles—Compare the most popular education philosophies and homeschool models, and choose the best combination for every homeschool situation.Stay on track—Find checklists, calendars, tables, and step-by-step instructions to help set and track homeschooling goals.Standards and requirements—Get a general breakdown of U.S. homeschooling requirements, along with easy and affordable ways to develop custom curriculum.Inclusive action plans—Learn to create a homeschooling structure that accommodates each child's culture, language, religion, special needs, and more.Build a complete action plan for effective home learning with The Homeschooling Starter Guide.
Homesick
by Roshi FernandoIn this stunningly assured debut work of fiction, Roshi Fernando weaves together the lives of an extended Sri Lankan family. At Victor and Nandini's home in southeast London, the New Year's Eve celebration is under way. Everyone is gathered around--clinking glasses of arrack and whisky, eating freshly fried poppadoms, listening to baila music--waiting to ring in 1983. Upstairs, The Godfather is playing on repeat for a bedroom filled with teenagers drunk on pilfered wine. And in the middle of it all is sixteen-year-old Preethi, tipsy on youth and friendship and covert cigarettes, desperate to belong. But what does that mean, to belong? As Preethi moves through her life--befriending the local outcast, revealing her brother's deepest secret, struggling with her own unhappiness and through a souring marriage--this desire for acceptance remains the one constant, both for her and for everyone she knows. Homesick moves back and forth in time, between London and Sri Lanka, circling the people in Preethi's world: her brother Rohan; her friends Nil, Clare, Deirdre, and Lolly; her aunty Gertie; and terrible cousin Kumar. Together, they are bound by this shared need to fit in somewhere, this rootless desire for a place to call home. Gorgeously drawn, told with wit and pathos, this poignant narrative blends love with loss, politics with pop culture, tradition with youthful rebellion. Homesick is rich with insight and a kaleidoscopic view of contemporary immigrant life that introduces us to the work of Roshi Fernando, a remarkable new talent.
Homesick: My Own Story (Puffin Modern Classics)
by Jean FritzThis heartwarming fictionalized autobiography tells the story of what it is like for a little girl to be growing up in an unfamiliar place. <P><P> While other girls her age were enjoying childhood in America, Jean Fritz was in China in the midst of political unrest. During this time, foreigners were becoming more and more unpopular, and evacuation at a moment's notice was imminent. Although Jean appreciated the beauty of China - the mountains, the countryside, the sea - she knew she belonged in America and longed to make her home there.<P> Newbery Honor Book<P> Winner of the National Book Award
Homesick
by Kate KliseBenny's parents are splitting up. His mom leaves home after a fight about a mysterious splinter that is rumored to be part of an important relic. Benny's dad has always liked clutter, but now, he begins hoarding everything from pizza boxes to old motorcycle parts. As his house grows more cluttered and his father grows more distant, Benny tries to sort out whether he can change anything at all. Meanwhile, a local teacher enters their quiet Missouri town in America's Most Charming Small Town contest, and the pressure is on to clean up the area, especially Benny's ramshackle of a house, before the out-of-town guests arrive.
Homesick
by Kate KliseBenny's parents are splitting up. His mom leaves home after a fight about a mysterious splinter that is rumored to be part of an important relic. Benny's dad has always liked clutter, but now, he begins hoarding everything from pizza boxes to old motorcycle parts.As his house grows more cluttered and his father grows more distant, Benny tries to sort out whether he can change anything at all. Meanwhile, a local teacher enters their quiet Missouri town in America's Most Charming Small Town contest, and the pressure is on to clean up the area, especially Benny's ramshackle of a house, before the out-of-town guests arrive.
Homesick: A Memoir
by Sela Ward“A lilting, loving memoir of the South and simpler days” from the vibrant and beloved star of Sisters and Once and Again (USA Today).“This is the story of a girl who grew up in a gentle town in the Deep South, cradled by family and friends, worshiping Bear Bryant on Saturday night and Jesus Christ on Sunday morning . . .”At a time when much of America is yearning to recapture the spirit and feelings of a more innocent era, comes this extraordinary memoir from one of our most beloved actresses: a story of reconnecting with the most important things in life.Millions of TV and film viewers know Sela Ward as the Emmy-winning star of the series Sisters and Once and Again. But before she became a successful actress, Sela was first and foremost a small-town girl, the daughter of a family that lived for generations in a Mississippi homestead they called “Homeward.” It was there, within a tightly knit community of neighbors and kin, that Sela learned ways that would remain with her through life-humble virtues, like generosity, selflessness, and respect, that are “forged in the hearth of a loving home.” Now she has woven together nostalgic reminiscences, stories from throughout her life and career, and lessons on drawing strength and wisdom from a simpler place and time, to give us Homesick: a very special book on the challenge of raising a family, maintaining perspective, and carving away time for happiness amid the challenges of modern life.“An ode to simpler, safer times that is likely to strike a chord among Americans in these unsettling days.” —The Baltimore Sun
Homesick and Happy
by Michael ThompsonAn insightful and powerful look at the magic of summer camp--and why it is so important for children to be away from home . . . if only for a little while. In an age when it's the rare child who walks to school on his own, the thought of sending your "little ones" off to sleep-away camp can be overwhelming--for you and for them. But parents' first instinct--to shelter their offspring above all else--is actually depriving kids of the major developmental milestones that occur through letting them go--and watching them come back transformed. In Homesick and Happy, renowned child psychologist Michael Thompson, PhD, shares a strong argument for, and a vital guide to, this brief loosening of ties. A great champion of summer camp, he explains how camp ushers your children into a thrilling world offering an environment that most of us at home cannot: an electronics-free zone, a multigenerational community, meaningful daily rituals like group meals and cabin clean-up, and a place where time simply slows down. In the buggy woods, icy swims, campfire sing-alongs, and daring adventures, children have emotionally significant and character-building experiences; they often grow in ways that surprise even themselves; they make lifelong memories and cherished friends. Thompson shows how children who are away from their parents can be both homesick and happy, scared and successful, anxious and exuberant. When kids go to camp--for a week, a month, or the whole summer--they can experience some of the greatest maturation of their lives, and return more independent, strong, and healthy.
Homesick Creek
by Diane HammondDiane Hammond's beautifully rendered description of life in the fictional small town of Hubbard, Oregon, won her plaudits for Going to Bend, her debut novel. In Homesick Creek, Hammond returns to Hubbard and captivates us once again with a cast of characters so vivid we feel like we've known them all our lives. Anita and Bunny have been friends since high school, when Anita was a beauty queen runner-up and Bunny a sweet single mother with average looks. They were both taken by surprise when the handsome, charismatic Hack Neary chose Bunny to be his wife. A natural-born salesman, Hack now works his charms at the local car dealership, and he and Bunny enjoy a very comfortable life. But after sixteen years of excusing Hack's white lies, Bunny is more shaken than she'd like to be by his dangerous new flirtation and her rising suspicions that Hack never meant to put down roots in Hubbard. Anita has also married, but unlike Hack and Bunny, she and her husband are barely scraping by. Bob isn't ambitious enough to properly support his wife and daughter. He is, however, constant in his love: for Anita, still beautiful in his eyes despite the toll of age, work, and poverty; for his daughter and granddaughter, who need more than the couple can provide; and for Warren, his best friend since they were poor and unwanted children in the same trailer park. Facing a future that seems increasingly difficult, the friends turn to one another and find reserves of love and strength that help heal the wounds they inadvertently inflict on each other. At the deepest point of her grief, Bunny realizes, "If you loved somebody once, no matter how long ago, that had to be worth something."