These are the covers of all the 2020 issues of the home education magazine called Commonplace Quarterly. I was delighted to be asked, this time last year, to paint all four quarter’s cover art for 2020.

Who knew what was coming?! And who knew that “just like that” {snap fingers} more than half of all families in the United States would, at some point, become home schooling families? I hear in New York, they are right back to learning from home. The entire city that never sleeps is now full of home educators.

Who flipping saw that coming?

I am coming in white hot on your screens today to let you know of a couple of nourishing resources, if you find yourself suddenly in the throes of learning from home. I home educated all my children, from birth to high school graduation, and I do not regret one moment. If you only home school from 2020 to some time in 2021, I can promise you…if you do it with all your heart…you will not regret a moment.

And you just may decide to do it full time.

It was difficult, way back in my time. (waaaaaay back in 1990)

And like many mothers right now today, I also had “side hustles” at various points in my teaching-from-home career. Being in full time ministry often meant that I “worked from home” while home schooling. I could have only wished for the internet.

Let that settle on you, for a moment. I do not care if it makes me sound ancient.

I could have wished I had the internet.

I could have connected visually with a whole, beautiful tribe of mamas doing what I was doing. I could have Zoomed with my people. Y’all, all we had was Yahoo Groups, back in the day. And it did not support pictures. Instagram was not yet thought of. I think the founders of Instagram may have still been in diapers.

And our magazines weren’t this beautiful (if I do say so myself).

Right now, Commonplace Quarterly is having a 25% off sale. They normally do not do that. So go grab yourself some back issues. I think all four of 2020’s issues would grace your coffee table in the most beautiful way, and feed your soul this winter as you endeavor this holy, sacred, sweet job of teaching your children at home.

And for your Advent season, may I also wholeheartedly recommend Cindy Rollins’ book, “Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions With Handel’s Messiah”.

Cindy is a friend of mine who I finally got the joy of meeting IRL in 2019, when I spoke at a home educating conference. She’s the real deal, and an absolute WELL of wisdom when it comes to home education. I would encourage anyone new to this gig (maybe COVID made you do it?) to follow her on IG. Ask her your questions.

I am here for you too, mama. If you have a question pertaining to home schooling, feel free to click that “contact me” button. Send me an email, and I will see what I can do. Home education is like riding a bike - once a home educating mama, always a home educating mama. I may not be up on the latest, greatest curriculum, but I can inspire you with foundational concepts with half my brain tied behind my back.

I believe in motherhood, and I believe in the profound value of a home education. Our public schools are full of amazing teachers, but the system itself is failing our children. I want to see this generation of young ones raised to read well, write well, function in this culture with integrity, learn to love, and encouraged to be creative.

Those objectives can be met fully, flourishingly….and from home.

May we all come back home. Whether you teach your children at home or not, may home have your heart! May that be one of the best things to come out of this hard, strange-strange year.