What's in Practical Homeschooling #89?

FEATURES

• Mary Pride, author of The Way Home (and publisher of Practical Homeschooling) explains to guys who want to be "patriarchs" what the Bible has to say about "matriarchs." Also, why Purity Balls are a bad idea, and why daughters' role in life is not to serve their fathers.
• The #1 reason for homeschooling, according to the most recent government survey, is "religious reasons." But is it working? Some of us already know that between 60 and 80 percent of Christian youth leave the church for good after going away to college. We interview the author of a new book that proves the problem starts MUCH earlier, and homeschool parents aren't immune. Find out what surprising factor (besides public-school attendance) is MOST related to Christian kids abandoning the faith of their fathers, and what exactly to do about this if you're trying to raise Christian kids.
• Follow a family's entire homeschool journey, from a principal's uncaring words that led them to stop enrolling their daughter in kindergarten, to her becoming a National Merit Finalist.

COLUMNS

• Great experiments and activities to teach about rain and the water cycle, from best-selling science author Janice VanCleave.
• Don Aslett, the world's #1 cleaning expert, says, "It's true: you CAN teach your children to declutter," and tells us how.
• Homeschool author Joyce McPherson shares the joys (and time-tested how-tos) of starting a Writing Club
• Melissa Morgan, co-author of Homeschooling on a Shoestring, has dozens of great (mostly free) resources setting up a preschool co-op.
• Education expert Sam Blumenfeld reminds us how the country handled bank panics of the past.
• Jeannette Webb, recipient of the Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher Award and expert at getting kids into top colleges, shares her thoughts on raising homeschooled girls to adulthood.
• Pioneering homeschooler, and Practical Homeschooling manager, Bill Pride reveals what is waiting for you once your children finally graduate homeschool. And it isn't an "empty nest."

NEWS

• Homeschoolers rule on the ACT college readiness exam. Again.
• Amazing facts about coupons, and where to find them online.
• Where you can save 15% on crafts and fabrics purchases.
• How to get free lesson plans for train-track safety. (More important than it sounds.)
• Big news: the New York Times has finally noticed homeschool football. Plus, where to find homeschool sports leagues online.

SPOTLIGHT REVIEWS

• We put the latest edition of one of the most popular software typing instruction programs through its paces.
• Looking for Christian character models for your childre? We review an ambitious book/workbook series from Youth With a Mission.

MORE REVIEWS

• Teach creative writing... using Powerpoint?
• Book/CD-ROM package teaches kids how to use databases.
• What to do about a kid who is "Late, Lost, and Unprepared"
• How to find out if your child's academic and social difficulties are due to lack of "Sensory Integration"
• Physics course for upper elementary and middle school. No kidding!

PLUS...

• Contests for subscribers with awesome prizes! BONUS: See a previous issue's winning essays on kids's favorite historical figures.
• Envelope Gallery of kids' art
• Ads with special offers