By Kerry McDonald Tears filled Maria Castaneda’s eyes as she recalled moving her son from a Las Vegas charter school to a microschool in 2020. She explained that in the charter school, her 7th grader was excelling academically but was growing increasingly withdrawn and angry. “I pulled him out because in that situation it brought out the worst of him, not the best of him,” … [Read more...] about Microschools Are Proving to Be a Winning Option in Las Vegas
Parenting
US Entrepreneurship Is Up, and “Parentpreneurs” Are Among These New Founders
By Kerry McDonald The American entrepreneurial spirit has been revived over the past two years after an extended decline. According to the US Census Bureau, new business owners applied for more than 5 million Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) in 2021, the most in at least a decade-and-a-half of record-keeping. The resurgence of entrepreneurship began in 2020, when … [Read more...] about US Entrepreneurship Is Up, and “Parentpreneurs” Are Among These New Founders
Teacher and Mom of Four Launches Mask-Free Learning Center in Response to Parent Demand
By Kerry McDonald The coronavirus response over the past two years has transformed education, putting parents back in the driver’s seat and inspiring education entrepreneurs to create new K-12 learning models. There are signs that entrepreneurship flourished during the pandemic response, as employment disruptions prompted individuals to launch new businesses. A new … [Read more...] about Teacher and Mom of Four Launches Mask-Free Learning Center in Response to Parent Demand
You Don’t Have to Send Your Kid Back to Public School This Fall—Here Are Your Options
By Kerry McDonald This year’s back-to-school season is as uncertain and unsettling as the last. With schools in some parts of the country set to open early next month, the CDC just announced its virus control recommendations which include required masking for unvaccinated students and staff, continued social distancing, and frequent virus testing. These guidelines were … [Read more...] about You Don’t Have to Send Your Kid Back to Public School This Fall—Here Are Your Options
4 Signs Parents Won’t Be Sending Their Kids Back to Public School This Fall
By Kerry McDonald As disruptive as the 2020/2021 academic year was, it led to many positive educational changes that will be transformative and long-lasting. Most notably, parents have been re-empowered to take back the reins of their children’s education from government bureaucrats and teachers unions. Frustrated by school closures and district “Zoom schooling,” families … [Read more...] about 4 Signs Parents Won’t Be Sending Their Kids Back to Public School This Fall
Just in Case You Needed More Incentive to Homeschool…
By Linnea Johnson People choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons. I began homeschooling in the fall of 2012 when after a year in public kindergarten, it became apparent my intelligent but immature son was going to have problems. He did very well at home, as did my daughter and younger son. We lived in the Houston area when we began homeschooling, and most of the … [Read more...] about Just in Case You Needed More Incentive to Homeschool…
Why Lockdowns Offer the Perfect Opportunity to Teach Kids about Liberty and Government
By Kerry McDonald It’s always worthwhile to share the ideas of liberty with young people, but right now, during widespread government lockdowns, it is more important than ever. In some places in the US, individuals are prohibited from inviting friends or family members over to their private homes or, if they are granted that privilege, attendance is capped. In still other … [Read more...] about Why Lockdowns Offer the Perfect Opportunity to Teach Kids about Liberty and Government
Parents Win Battle to Reopen California Playgrounds
By Kerry McDonald On December 3rd, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new stay-at-home order mandating, among other restrictions, that outdoor playgrounds be closed. This prompted an immediate backlash from parents, medical professionals, and some state legislators who insisted that outdoor play for children is not only safe but essential for children’s health and … [Read more...] about Parents Win Battle to Reopen California Playgrounds
Homeschooling More Than Doubles During the Pandemic
By Kerry McDonald Many families took one look at their school district’s remote or hybrid learning offerings this fall and said “no, thank you.” That’s the message gleaned from national and state-specific data on the surging number of homeschooled students this academic year. Prior to the pandemic and related school closures last spring, there were just under two million … [Read more...] about Homeschooling More Than Doubles During the Pandemic
5 Economic Principles My Kids Learned on Halloween
By Kerry McDonald Halloween is the perfect holiday for children to discover the humanity of trade. Trick-or-treating may be the main attraction, but the spontaneous candy swap negotiations that occur afterwards are often just as enjoyable and help children learn important economic principles. Fortunately, my community was not one of those to ban trick-or-treating this … [Read more...] about 5 Economic Principles My Kids Learned on Halloween
Trick-or-Treating Bans Are the Scariest Part of Halloween in 2020
By Kerry McDonald Halloween is creepy this year and it has nothing to do with the costumes and face paint. Several cities and counties have placed an outright ban on children’s trick-or-treating due to COVID-19 fears, while others are strongly urging families to forgo the practice. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises individuals and families to … [Read more...] about Trick-or-Treating Bans Are the Scariest Part of Halloween in 2020
Need to Teach Your Kids about Personal Finance? Here Are Some Fun and Engaging Ways to Start
By Sam Bocetta One of the most important skills that parents can pass on to their children is the correct and responsible way to handle money. Considering how important financial literacy is for navigating life, it's surprising that it isn't generally taught in schools. This also makes it all the more important that, as a parent, you impart these crucial life skills. The … [Read more...] about Need to Teach Your Kids about Personal Finance? Here Are Some Fun and Engaging Ways to Start