The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...™

...as a Homeschooling Parent

A huge sacrifice, but with even bigger rewards. As parents, we want what's best for our children—in education, in opportunities, in relationships. Nothing can compete with a loving parent spending their time to nurture their own children through not only academics but character-building, life skills, and more, to shape a truly unique and capable young adult.

Share what you’ve discovered as a homeschooling parent and all the unique puzzles that involves: choosing whether to homeschool and for how long; choosing curriculum; scheduling multiple children and grade levels; dealing with the government; keeping the momentum; and more; this book will encourage and guide other homeschooling families—or those considering homeschooling—through unfamiliar, but very rewarding, terrain.

Share the solutions here that have made your homeschooling experience a success!

Submission deadline: Friday 11 December 2009

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Homeschooling Parent.

Donations from the sale of this book will be going to 
Homeschool Legal Defense Association
(www.HSLDA.org).

...as a Parent

Long hours, no pay...huge rewards. That's a parent's job description, whether they're single or married, with toddlers or teenagers, working or staying at home, with athletes or wheelcare-bound. And, every day, every one of us finds new and better ways to handle the many facets of parenting. We can all use help in small ways as well as those 'big' situations--from sleeping through the night to sneaking out at night, from potty training to filling out college applications, from keeping the kids on schedule to keeping the romance in your marriage.

Share what you've discovered that makes you a better parent today than yesterday!

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Parent.

...as a Single Parent

Single parenting--it's the toughest but most rewarding job around. Being both mother and father to a child (or children) is tougher than it looks. If you've been handling your family's responsibilities single-handedly, no doubt you've discovered lots of tricks to making it easier...and no doubt that thousands of others would love to make their lives easier, too.

Share what you've learned to make this tough job less stressful and more successful.

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Single Parent.

...as a Brand-New Parent

It doesn't take a village, but brand-new parents sure need a lot of support. Whether you've been a parent for a few months, a few years, or several decades, you're discovering new ways to do things better every day. Brand-new parents awaiting the arrival of their very first bundle of joy, or those who've arrived home with a new blessing and feel helpless, need all the support and advice they can get.

Can you help a new mom with your secret for getting through post-partum depression? Did you find a way to build your husband's confidence as a new father? Have you discovered a way to keep the romance in your marriage despite the demands of a new baby? Do you have a secret for affording all the 'stuff' every baby needs? Or have you figured out how to make going back to work more bearable?

Your tiny tip may seem trivial to you, but could be a priceless golden nugget to another brand-new parent. Share what you've learned!

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Brand-New Parent.