Anna Dusseau | 16th September 2020 I want you to consider the possibility that school is damaging your child. I want you to consider, too, the possibility that you have been damaged by your own schooling, and that you carry this with you when you talk about education. We all know that schools shape livesContinue reading “‘Driven’ is the Word: On School Despotism and Intrinsic Motivation”
Author Archives: Anna Dusseau
Picasso, Percentages, and the False Security of Schoolwork
Anna Dusseau | 9th September 2020 It’s a Saturday morning which, technically, means I shouldn’t be stuck in the office printing resources. Still, we are embracing autonomous learning and, if my middle son wants a blank treasure map, then a blank treasure map he shall have. “What’s it for?” I ask him, absentmindedly. “Treasure,” heContinue reading “Picasso, Percentages, and the False Security of Schoolwork”
Ten Letters
Anna Dusseau | 2nd September 2020 Every evening during his presidency, Barack Obama would sit down with ten letters from the public, and he would read them. “What this form of story sharing and empathy and listening does,” he later acknowledged, “is it creates the conditions around which we can then have a meaningful conversationContinue reading “Ten Letters”
Children Need to be with their Friends? How Convenient.
Anna Dusseau | 26th August 2020 Most – not all – children thrive through contact with playmates. Let us agree on that. Back in June, we formed a bubble with another family and this created a regular opportunity for my 3 to indulge in long afternoons of tree climbing, stinging nettle battles, and what IContinue reading “Children Need to be with their Friends? How Convenient.”
Deschooling: Regress to Progress
Anna Dusseau | 19th August 2020 “School has become the world religion of a modernized proletariat.” Ivan Illich My son stopped hugging me around the time he began Nursery School. More noticeably than with my daughter, this was a process that destroyed my middle boy. He would begin to show signs of anxiety the nightContinue reading “Deschooling: Regress to Progress”
Ready, Steady…Oh! Reflections on the Big Back to School Race.
Anna Dusseau | 12th August 2020 It’s been a long 6 months. Like you, we have spent this strange summer cautiously meeting with other families in open spaces, and visiting attractions where social distancing is in operation. We all wear masks, of course, crossing the road for groceries like Neverland bandits, the littlest fiercely brandishingContinue reading “Ready, Steady…Oh! Reflections on the Big Back to School Race.”
“Mum, How Tall’s a Hobbit?”
Anna Dusseau | 5th August 2020 “Mum, how tall’s a Hobbit?” my eldest wants to know. Good question. She puts the book down and examines me in an Attenborough-kind-of-way; coffee cup in hand, baby on my hip, trying to pick up a slinky with my left foot. “I…ummm…” I falter. Aha! Got the slinky. “IContinue reading ““Mum, How Tall’s a Hobbit?””
The Power to Write Your Own Narrative: Imaginative Play and Well-being
Anna Dusseau | 30th July 2020 “Mum, can we play that game again?” I raise one eyebrow from behind my coffee cup. This means: “Which one?” From behind her back, my daughter now reveals the dreaded plastic dolls who – though originally identifiable as merchandise models of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and ChoContinue reading “The Power to Write Your Own Narrative: Imaginative Play and Well-being”
Why Morning Movies Make Total Sense
Anna Dusseau | 22nd July 2020 “He won’t get far on hot air and fantasy.” The Adventures of Baron Munchausen A few weeks ago, things kicked off in the house over the road, as I knew they would. After many months of cursing lockdown and lamenting school closures, finally the announcement came that some schoolsContinue reading “Why Morning Movies Make Total Sense”
On Being Yourself
Anna Dusseau | 15th July 2020 “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde The year is 2016 and I’m sat on a riverbank overlooking the Thames. There is a boat race that takes place here and it’s fun to watch. We try to avoid the crowds; going upriver as far as possible untilContinue reading “On Being Yourself”
“Miss, What’s the Point?”
Anna Dusseau | 8th July 2020 “You might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” John Lennon, Imagine It is autumn. The late afternoon light lies low across the room, where windows are jacked open and the blinds do nothing to cut the glare. I’m not convinced Year Ten can even seeContinue reading ““Miss, What’s the Point?””
Homeschool Therapy: Working on Ourselves
Anna Dusseau | 1st July 2020 “As can happen when you stop doing something, you wonder why you ever did it.” Tobias Jones, School’s Out, The Guardian, April 2020 For most homeschooling families, Mondays are no longer a downer. Sorry, Garfield! This morning, like every morning, begins for us with pop music and marmalade, spreadContinue reading “Homeschool Therapy: Working on Ourselves”
On Language and Imaginative Play
Anna Dusseau | 26th June 2020 A short, ‘thinky’ one today. Why can’t I play in French? Is it the language itself that isn’t so playful? Is it that creativity and imagination are linked in some way to childhood and the memory of our mother tongue? Tant pis. We are a French-speaking family; English isContinue reading “On Language and Imaginative Play”
On Autonomy and Being an Asshole
Anna Dusseau | 24th June 2020 It’s 7pm and my daughter is still swooping round the house on her classic roller skates. We live in a bungalow, so you can imagine the speed. Oh, and she’s got a copy of Zoey and Sassafras held about an inch from her face, eyes darting across the pageContinue reading “On Autonomy and Being an Asshole”
On Disney and Diversity
Anna Dusseau | 22nd June 2020 My kids have recently fallen in love with the Descendents movies, and let me start by saying that it’s a pretty cool franchise. Oh sure, you’re gonna want to puke in your mouth every time you hear these guys break into song, but honestly? You know we would allContinue reading “On Disney and Diversity”
Mask and Mirror: Why Instagram Ain’t Your Friend
Anna Dusseau | 11th June 2020 Let me begin by saying that I know, deep down, that I’m a technophobe. The fact that I can almost instantly follow that up with the fact that I’m also more than a dash antisocial, makes me wonder just what kind of tech-free, people-free Eden I’d be wandering inContinue reading “Mask and Mirror: Why Instagram Ain’t Your Friend”
School But Not As You Know It: The Sudbury Model
Anna Dusseau | 10th June 2020 I first read about the Sudbury School model in Peter Gray’s Free to Learn, which devotes an entire chapter to ‘lessons to be learned’ from this quite radical vision of education. Gray sent his own son to the Sudbury Valley School for the latter part of his education havingContinue reading “School But Not As You Know It: The Sudbury Model”
Do Homeschool Children Have a Social Life?
Anna Dusseau | 8th June 2020 This is the bugbear of all homeschooling parents; the question we get asked all the them. The answer is a resounding ‘YES!’ but let me clarify what I mean here. Our understanding of what friendship is and the nature of human connections have changed immeasurably within the past twentyContinue reading “Do Homeschool Children Have a Social Life?”
Talking About Racism: Conversational Learning
Anna Dusseau | 5th June 2020 “Remember who the true enemy is.” @AdultingPam I had a post schedule and everything for the next few weeks, and then my mate Nana-Adwoa from Dope Black Mums came along and shot that in the fricking foot. You know when someone says ‘it’s not you I’m angry with’ whatContinue reading “Talking About Racism: Conversational Learning”
The Powerful Philosophy of Unschooling
Anna Dusseau | 3rd May 2020 We are not unschoolers, but we are rapidly moving in that direction. In fact it seems like, the stronger you feel about homeschooling, the more an unschooling approach makes sense and rings true. The very notion that adults always ‘know best’ and that children can’t learn independently runs contraryContinue reading “The Powerful Philosophy of Unschooling”
Storytime: Why Do We Homeschool?
Anna Dusseau | 1st May 2020 It is just after seven o clock and the grey light coming through the curtains tells me it is going to be another chilly morning. This is February, before the world went into isolation, and I am rubbing my sore neck after another rough night with the baby. TeethingContinue reading “Storytime: Why Do We Homeschool?”
My Vegan Basics List
Anna Dusseau | 29th May 2020 “Oh, nice!” said Miley, a semi-friend and foul-mouthed foodie columnist who follows my blog. “It looks like a line up of all my ex-boyfriends.” I often check my food posts with Miley, you see, just to be sure. And this time, as usual, I rather wish I hadn’t. Well,Continue reading “My Vegan Basics List”
Every Penny Counts: How to Budget Like a Boss
Anna Dusseau | 27th May 2020 “Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.” Some Old Lady Oh, mama! There’s a reason homeschool is classified as private education in the UK, right? This shit is expensive! Like, Eton expensive, when you really think about it. Not only are you likely sacrificingContinue reading “Every Penny Counts: How to Budget Like a Boss”
Why Finnish Schools Are Better (Sort Of..)
Anna Dusseau | 25th May 2020 “One of the luckiest things to happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood.” Agatha Christie Not all school systems are the same. In Finland, there are no Ofsted-style inspections, no streaming by ability, no fee-paying private schools, no school uniforms and no schoolContinue reading “Why Finnish Schools Are Better (Sort Of..)”
What Do You Know About Education?
Anna Dusseau | 22nd May 2020 I am guessing that, most likely, you went to school yourself and have memories from this time. You might also follow news articles related to education and have an opinion on the schooling that your child has received so far. When considering homeschooling, however, it helps to know yourContinue reading “What Do You Know About Education?”
Rethinking Learning: Why You Haven’t Achieved Nothing Today
Anna Dusseau | 20th May 2020 If I had a pound for every time a parent contacts me in despair, telling me that their son or daughter has ‘achieved nothing’ today, I would be rich. It is such a common sentiment. Nothing? I ask, wondering, picturing the entire family flat on their backs contemplating theContinue reading “Rethinking Learning: Why You Haven’t Achieved Nothing Today”
What Grandpa Bob Taught Me About Raising Rockstars
Anna Dusseau | 18th May 2020 I have this memory of my dad putting me to bed. I didn’t like the dark, so he would stay by me until I fell asleep. After a story, I would lie awake looking at the long shadows on the ceiling, listening to my dad’s voice. “Get to sleep,Continue reading “What Grandpa Bob Taught Me About Raising Rockstars”
Ten Problems, One Solution: Chocolate
Anna Dusseau | 15th May 2020 Dark chocolate, to be specific. Because in this house, there is just one solution to a whole host of problems. Don’t overthink it. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Get involved and give yourself a brain-boosting, endorphin-soaring, antioxidant, 85% dose of ‘I-can-handle-this’ and change your parenting stress habits for life. Here’s howContinue reading “Ten Problems, One Solution: Chocolate”
Calm Parenting: Conversations with Aaliyah
Anna Dusseau | 13th May 2020 I have been working with Aaliyah and her family for a few months now and, last week, we covered this important topic. Perhaps you have the patience of a saint, or perhaps you are blessed with children who are just really calm and easy to be around. But if,Continue reading “Calm Parenting: Conversations with Aaliyah”
How to Start the Day
Anna Dusseau | 10th May 2020 The way your morning starts can make all the difference to the kind of homeschooling day you’re going to have. Mine has to start, every time, with a double espresso and a long stretch, usually half closing one eye to block out the sound of one of the childrenContinue reading “How to Start the Day”
Worldschooling: Let’s Go To Provence
Anna Dusseau | 8th May 2020 “Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year, any day now, as soon as I can get on a train.” Ah lala! La Provence! Sun baked region of l’or bleu (‘blue gold’ aka. lavendar..yes, I know, it’s clearly purple-ish), ground almond Calissons, bouillabaisseContinue reading “Worldschooling: Let’s Go To Provence”
One For The Dads
Anna Dusseau | 7th May 2020 “This one is for the daddies driving Polos/Changing nappies, making lunch and playing yo-yo.” (Probably Not) Nikki Minaj I am conscious that this feels like a female space. Not blogging per se, but the world of parent blogging. Wait, scrap that. Just parenting full stop. Biologically and statistically, it’sContinue reading “One For The Dads”
Why Many Parents Homeschool Because of Bullying (and That’s Okay)
Anna Dusseau | 5th May 2020 I am watching my children play in the garden. I know, in these challenging times, we are lucky to have a garden at all. But what I notice right now is the total, undiluted freedom of my six year old daughter as she tears after her younger brothers, terrifyingContinue reading “Why Many Parents Homeschool Because of Bullying (and That’s Okay)”
Garlic Farts, C Section Scars and Wine o Clock: Thank You, Liebster Award!
Anna Dusseau | 5th May 2020 My first award! Woohoo! Thanks so much to Andi at Diary of a Gay Dad for nominating my blog Homeschool Guru for this award. You legend! Okay then, here come my answers to the interview questions. I’m a newbie on the blogging scene so fasten your seatbelt, boys andContinue reading “Garlic Farts, C Section Scars and Wine o Clock: Thank You, Liebster Award!”
Pimp Your Crumble: from Poached Pear Princesses to Tinned Peach Tony
Anna Dusseau | 4th May 2020 I love a good crumble. Tasty? Yep. Comfort food? Sure. But, more than that, crumbles are the wise homeschool mama’s choice for putting food on the table that is healthy, inexpensive and – because a large crumble will typically last you a few days – reduces time spent preparingContinue reading “Pimp Your Crumble: from Poached Pear Princesses to Tinned Peach Tony”
Top 10 Song Lyrics My Kids Are Straight Up Wrong About
Anna Dusseau | 1st May 2020 Do you guys follow Andi and his kids at Diary of a Gay Dad? If not, get on it because these guys are hilarious. Earlier this week, Andi wrote a post about giving away his age by listening to a bit of 80s Ska revival and this got meContinue reading “Top 10 Song Lyrics My Kids Are Straight Up Wrong About”
Homeschooling is Dangerous, Harvard? Come On, Now..
Anna Dusseau | 30th April 2020 Last week was a kick in the nuts. According to the Daily Mail, Harvard law professor Elizabeth Bartholet has labelled homeschooling as ‘dangerous’, claiming that it gives parents “authoritarian control” over children. Okaaaaay. I mean, it’s the Daily Mail, so I’m easy like Sunday morning at this point. ItContinue reading “Homeschooling is Dangerous, Harvard? Come On, Now..”
Paperless Planning? Pah!
Anna Dusseau | 29th April 2020 “Time spent among trees is never time wasted.” – anonymous Not being funny, but the whole paperless environment trend has been a total fail in our house and that’s not because I own a Rottweiler and drink Stella on a folding chair the moment the sun comes out. NotContinue reading “Paperless Planning? Pah!”
Get Ready to Rumble: Safe Rules for Serious Play Fights
Anna Dusseau | 28th April 2020 Play fighting is a daily occurrence in our house. Daily? Perhaps I should say hourly. I think that’s why my kids are so happy. You see, play fighting – also known as roughhousing – releases a chemical called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which stimulates neuron growth within the cortex andContinue reading “Get Ready to Rumble: Safe Rules for Serious Play Fights”
Oh, Shit!
Anna Dusseau | 27th April 2020 Even before I hit the button on the Nespresso machine this morning, darling daughter wandered into the living room and announced that today she would like to dig a hole in the garden and poo in it. I thought you might like to know it’s not all sunbeams andContinue reading “Oh, Shit!”
Playing on Bombsites: Interview with Grandpa Bob
Anna Dusseau | 24th April 2020 Grandpa Bob isn’t your average octogenarian. A hangliding, homebrewing, pak-choi-kenobi who only recently ditched the ponytail, he is more likely to recommend a good book or tell a bawdy joke than complain about his joints. Which could be why I called him this week. Floundering in the midst ofContinue reading “Playing on Bombsites: Interview with Grandpa Bob”
Travel From Home? Yes, You Can!
Anna Dusseau | 23rd April 2020 This. Is. Fun. Do I even need to add a 90s inflected ‘not‘ at this point? Because really, if you are beginning to feel like a hostage on Big Brother series that you definitely don’t recall signing up for, then join the fricking club. Selfish though it sounds, IContinue reading “Travel From Home? Yes, You Can!”
Can You Make My Child a Reader? Yes.
Anna Dusseau | 22nd April 2020 Thank you to Aliyah for letting me share our email exchange earlier this week. I hope it’s of use to some of you, especially if you are deep-end homeschooling right now. Hi Anna, I am new to homeschooling with my kids. I’ve got a 6 year old daughter andContinue reading “Can You Make My Child a Reader? Yes.”
Dark Chocolate and Screaming Orgasms: the Not-So-Secret Recipe to Being a Yummy Mummy
Anna Dusseau | 21st April 2020 Or daddy? I feel this is a universal post. And you already know the first two items, so let’s get cracking with the rest, shall we? Confession: I didn’t bounce back at all after my daughter was born and spent the two years between my first and second childContinue reading “Dark Chocolate and Screaming Orgasms: the Not-So-Secret Recipe to Being a Yummy Mummy”
Homeschool Holiday Haiku
Anna Dusseau | 20th April 2020 I hope you’re on holiday now, enjoying the weather Because everyone’s brain works better When you take a break. Originally written by Erica from trampoline club, age 9, who doesn’t care for the exactings of haiku but seems to know a thing or two about neuroscience. Thanks, Erica! ;Continue reading “Homeschool Holiday Haiku”
Shit I Wish I Didn’t Have to Explain to My Kids..
Anna Dusseau | 17th April 2020 “Having children is like living in a frat house – nobody sleeps, everything’s broken, and there’s a lot of throwing up.” Ray Romano It’s hot. It’s so obviously hot. Donald Trump isn’t the Prime Minister of Hollywood. I mean, is he? Hula Hoops don’t count towards your five a day. YouContinue reading “Shit I Wish I Didn’t Have to Explain to My Kids..”
How to Bounce Back After a Bad Day
Anna Dusseau | 16th April 2020 “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau Oh my! Do you ever have one of those days where you just weren’t the kind of parent you normally like to be? I work really hard on keeping my cool and mostly feel like it’s not even anContinue reading “How to Bounce Back After a Bad Day”
50 Homeschooling Resources You Need in Your Life, Like NOW!
Anna Dusseau | 15th April 2020 Google Earth Maths? No Problem! Encyclopaedia Top Trumps Story of the World Recorders Story Cubes Child safety kitchen utensils Scrap paper drawer Matilda Splendid Spelling Game Binoculars Cartoon History of the Universe Curiosity Box Rubik’s Cube Kiddi Zoom Camera An atlas or globe Tennis rackets Skipping rope Magformers DrContinue reading “50 Homeschooling Resources You Need in Your Life, Like NOW!”
Reflections of a Reluctant Teacher: My Education Journey
Anna Dusseau | 14th April 2020 Becoming a homeschooling family has been a cathartic process for me, as I realise now that I come from a long line of homeschoolers. We just didn’t know it back then. Both sides of my family are packed with incredibly bright, bookish people who simmer in that slightly hyper-intelligentContinue reading “Reflections of a Reluctant Teacher: My Education Journey”
Life Hacks for Homeschooling Parents
Anna Dusseau | 13th April 2020 Mental health matters. Full stop. But where are we now with supporting families struggling in the grip of global crisis? Back in October 2019, the Every Mind Matters campaign amassed rapid public support with its 5-step mental health personalised plan, launched in conjunction with the NHS and a wholeContinue reading “Life Hacks for Homeschooling Parents”
Music is the Remedy: Show Me What You’ve Got
Anna Dusseau | 10th April 2020 We are a musical family. I dance in the kitchen for the vast majority of the time (it really pisses the kids off) and teenwolf is only very reluctantly doing a ‘real’ job having failed to make it as the next David Guetta during his 20s (I mean thisContinue reading “Music is the Remedy: Show Me What You’ve Got”
My Worldschool Bucket List
Anna Dusseau | 9th April 2020 Let’s dream for a minute. The coronavirus crisis is over, everyone loves how the Prime Minister’s new baby is rocking the same Eton-flick as his famous dad, and the runways are busy again polluting the planet thanks to the jet-set squad which, let’s face it, we all were untilContinue reading “My Worldschool Bucket List”
Why Baking is an Essential Part of Homeschooling
Anna Dusseau | 8th April 2020 “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” -Ernestine Ulmer Like my favourite kind of pastry, I’m going to keep this short and sweet because – well – sometimes things are just better that way. From creamy lasagne to dairy-free banana cupcakes, cooking and baking is surely a fundamental aspect ofContinue reading “Why Baking is an Essential Part of Homeschooling”
101 Things I Might Have Done If I Wasn’t A Homeschooling Mum of 3
Anna Dusseau | 7th April 2020 1. Be a Spice Girl. (It’s not too late. Stop being negative.) 2. Drive a Porsche. 3. Wait, drive an Audi S7. Less noise. I still need to hear Kisstory. 4. Write a kick-ass Kisstory playlist with less garage and more grind. 5. Build a rocket. 6. Think forContinue reading “101 Things I Might Have Done If I Wasn’t A Homeschooling Mum of 3”
The No-Brainer Guide to an Insta-Perfect Homeschool Monday
Anna Dusseau | 6th April 2020 “Here is the ultimate funky Monday to enjoy with your family and please share widely as I can see many people are seeking a proper hand-hold like this at present.” – Homeschool Guru Okay, okay! I’ll do it, but only because I like you. And hey, consider yourself extraContinue reading “The No-Brainer Guide to an Insta-Perfect Homeschool Monday”
Homeschool Rules #5: Creative Play
Anna Dusseau | 3rd April 2020 Teenwolf and I have this game we like to play. Wow wow WOW sweet child of mine! Wash your mouth out with soap and water, for goodness’ sake; this is a family blog. Okay, so this PG-rated game is called ‘where will we be this time next year?’ andContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #5: Creative Play”
Homeschool Rules #4: 50 Genius Ways to Avoid Losing your Shiz with the Kidz
Anna Dusseau | 2nd April 2020 Omfg, these little people! We love them but they can grind your gears, right? I sometimes feel like they were sent to test me. Like, do you remember way back in your first pregnancy when you felt a bit panicky because you couldn’t find those vegan multivitamins with theContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #4: 50 Genius Ways to Avoid Losing your Shiz with the Kidz”
Homeschool Rules #3: The Global Classroom
Anna Dusseau | 1st April 2020 Whatever your experience prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, times have changed and we are now all part of a global think tank. I realised this the other day. In a single morning, we video called our old friends in Capetown, a worldschooling family in Barcelona who we are collaboratingContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #3: The Global Classroom”
Homeschool Rules #2: Fix Up, Look Sharp
Anna Dusseau | 31st March 2020 “This is Homeschool HQ to Gavin’s mum. Put the pjs down and step away from the biscuit tin! I repeat: PUT. THE. PJS. DOWN. This is not a drill!” Hello. Are you Gavin’s mum, by any chance? Or Gavin’s dad, come to think of it? Because we are nowContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #2: Fix Up, Look Sharp”
Homeschool Rules #1: 101 Ideas for Homeschooling this Week
Anna Dusseau | 30th March 2020 1.Play pirates! Turn the sofa or duvet into a pirate ship, dress up, pack for your voyage, use the globe to locate where you’re going in the world and finish with a treasure map or the secret diary of a stowaway! 2. Cloud spotting. Lie on your backs inContinue reading “Homeschool Rules #1: 101 Ideas for Homeschooling this Week”
Our Homeschool Timetable: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Anna Dusseau | 26th March 2020 Boy, this week has been tough! I wish I could say otherwise. In spite of the glorious sunshine, I would describe yesterday in particular as one gigantic clusterfuck with tiny moments of magic along the way. A metaphor for life, you say? Oh, come on now; surely you’re notContinue reading “Our Homeschool Timetable: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”
Going Nowhere: Why a Global Mindset is More Important Than Ever Right Now
Anna Dusseau | 25th March 2020 I am, like you, stuck at home. We are doing our best to keep spirits up and minds focused, but it’s not easy. Not when you allow yourself a glimpse of what’s going on across the world. I absolutely understand the struggle for parents to homeschool their children rightContinue reading “Going Nowhere: Why a Global Mindset is More Important Than Ever Right Now”
He Said, She Said: Resolving Sibling Disputes
Anna Dusseau | 25th March 2020 Kids kicking off? Hungry for a fresh order of parenting wisdom? Look no further than the Homeschool Guru’s sizzling takeaway menu (the restaurant is closed) where fury tastes better with a side order of sarcasm. Oi! (The Classic) Always a winner, this is the number one reprimand of choice.Continue reading “He Said, She Said: Resolving Sibling Disputes”
Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)
Anna Dusseau | 24th March 2020 Oh, what? Did I forget to mention that I was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour? Apologies. I’ve been so busy going round telling anyone who’ll listen (my mum, the kids, the bathroom mirror, and teenwolf) that it must have slipped my mind to mention it inContinue reading “Fake It To Make It (Or Why Radio 4 Women’s Hour Missed the Point)”
Gettin’ Jiggy with It: Fresh Air and Exercise Homeschool Style
Anna Dusseau | 23rd March 2020 Happy Monday, guys! How’s everyone doing? Today marks the start of the official UK school closure and I hope you’re all coping okay. Believe me, even experienced homeschool families are struggling here, with cabin fever causing parents and children alike to resort to foot-stamping temper tantrums, like Big BrotherContinue reading “Gettin’ Jiggy with It: Fresh Air and Exercise Homeschool Style”
The Soundtrack to Sanity
Anna Dusseau | 20th March 2020 The best advice anyone gave me regarding parenting was to have the radio on in the background. That’s it! You’re welcome. But seriously, this passing comment has absolutely shaped my homeschool style and serves as a basis for keeping me calm and engaged throughout the day. Of course, theContinue reading “The Soundtrack to Sanity”
Waste Not, Want Not: Crafty Leftovers and Cooking From Scratch
Anna Dusseau | 19th March 2020 First, let me make one thing clear; I can do a fancy lunch. Which is another way of saying: ‘I’ve located the whereabouts of my nearest M&S Foodhall and I’m not afraid to use it’. So, just before we dive in and you emerge thinking that I’m 110% anContinue reading “Waste Not, Want Not: Crafty Leftovers and Cooking From Scratch”
Strange Times: Skyping to Make Sense of the World
Anna Dusseau | 18th March 2020 Yesterday felt weird. After the giddy realisation of the PM’s speech on Monday – significantly ramping up the COVID-19 containment effort and advising the UK to avoid all unnecessary travel and contact – things felt quite different, all of a sudden. A few schools with dwindling numbers are stillContinue reading “Strange Times: Skyping to Make Sense of the World”
Heigh-Ho It’s Home From Work We Go: Rules for Remote Working with Happy and Grumpy
Anna Dusseau | 17th March 2020 I still get the words wrong to this. It just seems like the lyrics should be ‘it’s off to work we go’, am I right? I mean okay, 1930s Disney-lovers, I get that it doesn’t work so well with the story line, but in terms of the iambic rhythm,Continue reading “Heigh-Ho It’s Home From Work We Go: Rules for Remote Working with Happy and Grumpy”
The Reading Nest: A Study in Multisensory Learning
Anna Dusseau | 16th March 2020 My kids have this annoying habit of dismantling the furniture. How it came to be that these pint-sized people have the strength and determination before breakfast to transform our old leather sofa into a fortress, I don’t honestly know, but this is how I often find the kitchen arrangedContinue reading “The Reading Nest: A Study in Multisensory Learning”
No School? No Problem! The Calm Mama’s Guide to Surviving the COVID-19 Quarantine
Anna Dusseau | 13th March 2020 Parents, brace yourselves. Because it’s looking increasingly likely that UK schools will soon be following Europe by closing their doors in an international effort to contain – or at least delay – the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Perhaps as you are reading this, you have just received theContinue reading “No School? No Problem! The Calm Mama’s Guide to Surviving the COVID-19 Quarantine”
Top Pick of Board Games for Family Downtime
Anna Dusseau | 12th March 2020 It’s a rainy Thursday afternoon and there’s nothing much to do. The morning was a caffeine-fulled adventure into papier mache death masks and rescuing a family of toads from the end of the garden where they seemed intent on seeking the afterlife themselves upon the grave driveway beyond. AndContinue reading “Top Pick of Board Games for Family Downtime”
The Science of Growing Old: Why Homeschooling is Good for Your Brain
Anna Dusseau | 11th March 2020 What did Helen Mirren say about ageing, again? ‘You only have two options in life: die young or get old. There is nothing else.’ Ouch, Helen! Surely not? Although I suppose what she means is that we are all, inevitably, getting older because – well – there’s actually noContinue reading “The Science of Growing Old: Why Homeschooling is Good for Your Brain”
The Definitive Reading List if You’re Just Starting Out
Anna Dusseau | 10th March 2020 First off, I want to say that this is not actually a list. Apologies for the title. My blogging guru Elna Cain told me readers love lists, so I thought this would make a catchy title; however, like everything in homeschooling, I found myself writing this post a bit..differently?Continue reading “The Definitive Reading List if You’re Just Starting Out”
Another Manic Monday? Take Control Now!
Anna Dusseau | 9th March 2020 Happy Monday, homeschoolers! It’s the start of a new week; celebrities in surgical masks are already being snapped on their way to the gym and the PM is looking bleary-eyed after another night of emergency meetings and, one can only suppose, locating bottles of Gaviscon for his fiery-haired babyContinue reading “Another Manic Monday? Take Control Now!”
Why I’ve Never Been On Social Media (and You Might Want a Slice of This, Too)
Anna Dusseau | 6th March 2020 Social media is toxic. You don’t need the likes of Stormzy and Billie Eilish to tell you that. Although it certainly helps when high-profile public figures turn their backs on social media – providing a powerful message to young and not-so-young that it is a hateful and unhealthy placeContinue reading “Why I’ve Never Been On Social Media (and You Might Want a Slice of This, Too)”
How to Feed a Family of 5 for £50 a Week
Anna Dusseau | 5th March 2020 I mean, we are all on a budget, right? In our family, we went from two decent salaries, to living on a single salary while my husband continued to work in a city job he hated, to finally both working part time from home. Times are very different forContinue reading “How to Feed a Family of 5 for £50 a Week”
15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)
Anna Dusseau | 4th March 2020 Let me guess. You’re loving homeschooling, right? I mean, I know we all have our ups and downs, but if you can recall, that was what the school routine was like, too. In fact, if I’m really honest with myself, almost every single day when my daughter was inContinue reading “15 Awkward Questions You’ll Get Asked About Homeschooling (and How to Answer Them)”
Top 10 Podcasts for Switched On Kids
Anna Dusseau | 3rd March 2020 We hear it all the time. Kids have too much screen time and are too dependent on Google and YouTube videos for their sources of information. It’s so true and such an easy pattern to fall into, especially when homeschooling, as curious kids naturally want to explore their interestsContinue reading “Top 10 Podcasts for Switched On Kids”
How Homeschooling Happens
Anna Dusseau | 2nd March 2020 This was definitely not the plan. Homeschooling happened to us, the same way it happened to most of the families I have met since, by surprise. And I mean birthday party surprise. Not the sarcastic surprise of a flat tyre, but the kind that lights up your whole face.Continue reading “How Homeschooling Happens”
Raising Bilingual Children
Anna Dusseau | 2nd March 2020 It didn’t happen straight away for us. The bilingual thing. My daughter prefers English but speaks French well, albeit with a plummy, British accent. My middle son speaks French and English equally well and, astonishingly, without accent. The little one has adopted the Marseillais growl of his father andContinue reading “Raising Bilingual Children”
Eco and Glam? Why Visiting The Cotswolds Means You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It..
Anna Dusseau | 2nd March 2020 Perhaps I am rather late to the party, but has anyone noticed just how great The Cotswolds are for a mini break or even more extended getaway? Set in the luxuriously undulating landscape that governs the boarder between Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, this glorious region of the UK enables youContinue reading “Eco and Glam? Why Visiting The Cotswolds Means You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It..”
My Vegan Week
Anna Dusseau | 1st March 2020 No meat? No dairy? No problem! At the conclusion of a vegan trial week, Anna Dusseau sips soy latte and contemplates the pros and cons of plant-based living. It seemed like only a matter of time before I would have to try this vegan thing for myself. Our dietContinue reading “My Vegan Week”