What better way to keep boredom at bay than to provide enrichment opportunities to your teens during the summer time. It’s not too early to plan how your teen spends his or her summer. There is something to be said about a break from a schedule, academics, and assignments, so don’t let these precious months pass without thinking about ways to add enthusiasm to the high school years.

Grade point averages provide a quick way to compare a teen’s academic record in relation to others. They are shown on high school transcripts and may be used as a factor for college admission decisions and eligibility for scholarships.  Calculating a GPA is not difficult – let me show you how!

Did you know Diane and I (HSLDA high school consultants) write a free, monthly email newsletter? We’ve done so for quite a few years so you can imagine the wealth of information available in them. The next question is, “Do you wish to receive this newsletter in your email box the first Thursday of each month?” You simply have to sign up for it on our high school website. If you are hesitating because you just don’t have time to read one more thing, I’d like to proffer some reasons why it’s worth receiving and reading.

   I recently received a phone call from an HSLDA member who needed a bit of encouragement. She told me that a fellow homeschooling mom told her never to make a decision in February about whether to continue homeschooling or not! This mom went on to say the reason was that February was far enough along to have lost the excitement of a new year and new curricula, but not far enough along to see the end of the year (or the light at the end of the tunnel). What good advice!

Are you looking to relieve some of the pressure you feel when evaluating your teen’s compositions?  Would your teen benefit from a writing coach that provides helpful ideas to improve his writing skills and possibly provides some motivation to write?  A Patrick Henry College writing mentor may be exactly what you are looking for!

   Just yesterday I was reading a quote from Matthew Henry, Bible commentator, on Proverbs 3:27: "Wherever the Providence of God casts us, we should desire and endeavor to be useful; and, when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can. And he that is faithful in a little shall be entrusted with more." Chuck Swindoll in his book, Wisdom for the Way, applied it this way: “You were going to write a best-selling book, but the opportunities just haven't come along. Are you willing to write for your church [or homeschool] newsletter?”

   This morning, my two kiddos and I woke up to find that a beautiful snow had graced our town last night.   As a home school parent-teacher I still welcome snow days, don’t you?  We snuggled in bed and read a book, stayed in our jammies a little longer than we normally would on a “regular” school day, and then we made home-made blueberry muffins and sprinkled some “snow” on top (powdered sugar).