by Connie Albers | May 12, 2021
We enter life curious. We wonder about the world around us, but as the years unfold that natural curiosity for life and learning can fade. So, how can we cultivate curiosity in our children?
In this episode, Connie talks with Cheryl Bastian about how to cultivate curiosity in our children.
How do you remain steadfast?
- Be flexible
- Foster conversation
- Be specific
- Be inviting
- Let go of our expectations
How to become a student of your child?
- Be willing to change
- Listen and discern
- Show interest
- Get on their level
Observe what they spend time doing?
- Focus on the clues they give by watching them
- Note what excite them
- Give margin in your day for discovery
Curiosity fuels learning. Therefore, we must be intentional to cultivate our child’s natural curiosity throughout their childhood. Don’t let the daily schedule keep them from exploring the world of possibilities.
“Our family is a learning family. We’re in this together.” – Cheryl Bastian
About Cheryl Bastian
Cheryl’s home education journey spans twenty-seven years with eight children, ages thirty-one to five. Her vast experiences allow her to journey alongside families at many stages of learning. As an author and speaker, Cheryl encourages parents to be intentional, real, and relational as they raise life-long learners. Her resources are available at www.cherylbastian.com.
References and Links
The following may contain affiliate links.
Related Episodes
How to Connect with Connie
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
by Connie Albers | Apr 28, 2021
Homeschooling is too hard! Where do I start? I could never do that! Are common questions parents ask when considering if they should homeschool their children.
I frequently thought, “I’m not qualified to teach my kids. I don’t have a teaching degree. I don’t know phonics or Physics.” The cool part is I didn’t need any of those to homeschool. I needed the Lord to lead me, a willing heart, a desire to figure it, and the resolve to stick with it. And, my friend, that’s what you need too! You don’t have to have a degree to teach you children either.
Homeschoolers have a proven track record of successfully homeschooling their children.
Make Homeschooling Easy!
The one tool you should have is by Lea Ann Garfias. Lea Ann created a complete reference guide to help you with everything you need to successfully tackle homeschooling in your own style, filling your experience with confidence, grace, and the joy of learning.
Homeschooling is an educational option worth serious consideration. Don’t let fear or doubt stop you from embracing the homeschool lifestyle.
Homeschooling doesn’t have to be hard! It can be made easy with the right tools.
About Lea Ann Garfias
Lea Ann Garfias is a homeschool graduate, a homeschooling mother of six, and the author of four books, including three on homeschooling. She and her husband, David, live in Dallas, Texas. Besides “author,” she holds the titles of “professional violinist,” “French-press owner,” and “friend.”
References and Links
The following may contain affiliate links.
How to Connect with Connie
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
by Connie Albers | Mar 3, 2021
Are you among millions of parents trying to run a business and homeschooling your children? You’re not alone. Millions of parents are faced with the tension that comes with juggling deadlines, making sure the kids are doing school, planning meals, and spending hours in the kitchen.
Whether you’re working a few hours or full-time, the challenge to fit it all in is real. The guilt and frustration from day-to-day can leave you discouraged and worn out.
Running a Business and Homeschooling
Today, Ashley Wiggers is joining me on the podcast. She is a second-generation homeschool graduate whose parents were pioneers in the homeschool movement. Greg and Debbie Strayer were respected leaders, mentors, speakers, authors, and magazine owners/editors. Ashley grew-up watching them juggle the demands of running a business and homeschooling.
We discuss some of the lessons she learned as a homeschool graduate and how she plans to follow their example.
Tips for Your Journey in Business and Homeschooling
- Being fully present
- Plan memorable moments
- Set realistic goals
- Create a love of learning
- Trust the Lord
- Protect what matters most
About Ashley Wiggers
Ashley Wiggers speaks at homeschool seminars, serves as Public Relations Director for GeoMatters, and is the author of the Profiles from History series. She also joins Homeschooling Today magazine as a co-executive editor and writes the column, Lessons My Mother Taught Me.
Ashley grew up in the early days of the homeschooling movement. She was taught by her parents, Greg and Debbie Strayer, who are authors of numerous homeschooling materials and were part of the founding group of Homeschooling Today magazine back in 1992. As a homeschool graduate, Ashley has a deep appreciation for the opportunity to homeschool and the need for encouragement and support of homeschooling families.
References and Links
Related Episodes
How to Connect with Connie
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
by Connie Albers | Feb 17, 2021
Fostering a foundation of respect between you and your teen requires time and intentionality. The good news is that your investment now pays off in the long run as you show your child respect.
Respecting each other is not just a good idea to help your relationship grow stronger, but God requires that we show respect. In I Peter 2:17 (NIV), the Bible says, “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
In this episode, I share ways you can foster respect between you and your child.
Ways to Foster Respect Between You and Your Teen
- Understand your child’s point of view.
- Remember, every person is made in God’s image.
- Let your child feel seen and heard.
- Look at your teen in the eyes
- Serve one another
- Monitor how you speak to each child
Over the years, I’ve seen well-intentioned parents who believed respect wasn’t a two-way street. They demanded to be respected by their child but failed to understand their responsibility to show respect to their child. When you take the time to show your child respect, your child will start to mirror your example.
Bible References to Ponder
- Genesis 1:27
- Philippians 2:1-8
- Romans 12:2
- I Corinthians 11:1
Related Episodes
How to Connect with Connie
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
by Connie Albers | Feb 3, 2021
People often ask me how I taught my children. I love it when I get the opportunity to share how we homeschooled our kids. But what I love even more is helping parents teach their children! Let’s talk about how to teach children well!
Parents have been led to believe that one needs a degree or some special training to be a good teacher. I wrestled with feeling like I didn’t have what it takes to be a teacher for many years. I had neither an education degree nor special training. What I did have was a desire to provide an excellent education for my children. But that didn’t mean there weren’t times I felt inadequate for the job. Honestly, I’ve never met a parent who didn’t question themselves from time to time. The truth is education isn’t a mystery.
In today’s episode, I’ll unpack three key strategies that will help you teach your children.
How To Teach Children
- Know your child.
- Encourage them to try.
- Manage your expectations.
We must keep in mind that children have a natural desire to learn. The key is for us to nurture their curiosity and not drive it out of them.
How to Nurture Curiosity
- Create a positive attitude about school.
- Look for signs of readiness.
- Work toward mastery, not a completed worksheet.
How We Can Help Our Kids
- Show them we believe in them.
- Allow them to pursue their interests. (This doesn’t mean they don’t have to do subjects they don’t like.)
- Let them observe success being modeled.
- Be available when help is needed.
- Match readiness with a subject
- Let them experience what they are learning in real life.
- Provide plenty of activities for them to explore.
We run into trouble when we forget learning new concepts takes a lot of brainpower. You need to know how to help a child who struggles with staying focused and isn’t ready to move forward.
You don’t have to have a degree in education or special training to teach children well!
Related Episodes
How to Connect with Connie
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
by Connie Albers | Jan 6, 2021
Has your child been bullied? Do you find out or did they tell you? How do you know if they are dealing with bullying or if it’s general conflict that they can resolve?
It’s vital that children understand the difference between bullying and general conflict so they can properly navigate each scenario wisely.
Parents often teach their children to resolve conflict, but the problem is bullies aren’t interested in resolution. They are interested domination and intimidation. They seek to hurt or harm others by their actions.
As parents we need to learn and teach our children the characteristics of a bully.
Characteristics of a Bully
- Aggressive
- Repeated
- Power Imbalance
Other Key Points
- Two important action steps you must do if you think your child is being bullied.
- What we must do to protect our child.
- How to create a place where your child feels safe: use words like we and us, work together to help your child discern the next steps. Your child needs to know if they are being bullied it’s not their fault.
*If you know someone being bullied or someone who is bullying others don’t ignore it. Contact the proper authorities before the matter escalates. And if your child has been bullied find a trained mental health professional who can help your child work through what happened.
About Candice Duggar
Candice Duggar is the founder of Bullied, Broken, Redeemed, and a nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker, and trainer. Candice and her team specialize in equipping leaders, parents, and youth on all aspects of Gen Z Bullying. These life-changing programs use interactive activities and projects to motivate and empower effective anti-bullying warriors. Candice has been seen on NBC, CBN, FRC on top of training fortune 100 companies. She is also regularly featured as a keynote at events nationally and international conferences.
On top of being an anti-bullying warrior, Candice is passionate about helping families transition from public school to homeschool. Her “Coming Home” Series of talks and workshops are a blessing for those trying to navigate the sometimes difficult transition. She is also the co-founder of the Reimagine Education Conference, specializing in helping families transition to homeschooling. This conference is an annual event and has now grown to an international presence with over 80 speakers and 100 talks.
References and Links
Related Episodes
How to Connect with Connie
Listen to last week’s episode #42 – How to Handle Bullying with Candice Duggar (Part I)
Subscribe to Equipped To Be
