BRIGHTER DAY PRESS BLOG

Our son Liam (age 9) is a passionate and gifted pianist who loves writing and arranging his own pieces. Recently, while visiting my parents in Mississippi, he was able to record three songs. It was a dream come true for him! I...

September 11 is coming. Why talk about it with our kids?  While none of our young children were alive to experience 9/11, it still affects our country and is an important piece of American history. And all of us can,...

If I've learned anything in 5 years of homeschooling, it's this: When we decided to homeschool, all I could envision was "school at home." I'd stand in front of a chalkboard and teach lesson after lesson to my son at his desk....

I was a hesitant customer of the Yoto audiobook player for two reasons: 1. It's not cheap. 2. My kids have never been big audiobook fans. Turns out, the Yoto has completely surprised me and has been 100% worth the investment... and...

Only you and your family can make the decision to homeschool. Consider it for one year at a time. Make a list of your fears and hesitations and pray through each one. Reach out to women in your local church...

I'm excited to share 5 books that our family references nearly every day. All of these books appeal to multiple ages and different styles of homeschooling and have become anchors in our homeschool!   Click on the titles below. Some...

Are you new to homeschooling? Planning for the upcoming year? Our family is entering our fifth year of homeschooling, which is hard to believe! I want to share the supplies that we use nearly every day. They work for multiple ages...

Dreamer's Melody Sheet Music by Liam Newby When our son Liam was 5, his grandma led him to the piano and taught him a simple song. Almost immediately, he was hooked. We put stickers on the piano keys so Liam...

How do you keep up with a voracious reader without pre-reading all the books?  Liam is nine years old and an insatiable reader, and it would be impossible to pre-read every book I hand to him. At this stage, I've...

I am delighted to share what we've chosen for our upcoming school year, which we'll begin in mid-July! Choosing curriculum can be enjoyable and... daunting. While we should definitely do our research, I believe there comes a point when we...

This summer project is found in our newest guide, A Simple Summer, and it has already been such a hit! We did it with our local nature group and kids from ages 3 to 15 participated and enjoyed it.  What...

"What is my assignment, Lord?" This is the simple question that has shifted my perspective in the most demanding moments of motherhood.As a brand new mom in the throes of sleepless nights, I learned from Gloria Furman to see the near-constant "interruptions"...

A quality education doesn't have to break your budget. I began our homeschooling journey like so many of us do, wooed by shiny, new curriculum. I wanted it all—and thought we needed it all to have a successful homeschooling experience....

Does your family celebrate Juneteenth? I only learned of it in the last few years, but am thankful my children will understand its significance much sooner.What is it?On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to enforce...

We've just finished our fifth year of homeschooling (including a year of preschool), and I wanted to document all of our curriculum choices so far as well as what I’ve learned along the way. Next week, I'll be sharing our...

It's almost summer (!), so it's time to pull out our summer rhythm! I painted this one, but also painted a customizable version for you.     If you'd like to make your own, I've created three options:  1. A blank rainbow to...

Our family has a busy summer ahead, so I'm making plans now for personal reading. This list is short (and hopefully manageable)—and I'm posting it here for inspiration and accountability. I can't wait to dive in to these books! The...

"What a shame it would be if we missed the greatest gifts of motherhood because of the distractions of our phones.  We have a new challenge in our generation of mothering as we seek to use our phones to serve us...

I had no idea before becoming a mom that reading aloud to my children would form some of our family's very best memories. But I can assure you, it doesn't always look this picture perfect—especially when first starting out.Here are...

It's only April, but we're rounding the corner toward summer, and my kids are itching to get started with their summer reading! We created a Summer Reading Bingo last summer and had a blast. So I thought I'd update this chart with brand...

Memorial Day is coming, and I am thrilled to share our brand new guide with your family soon (coming May 2!). We'll spend a week learning about heroism and patriotism through the true stories of unsung American heroes, how to fold...