BJ's Consulting

Are you looking for a little advice from a veteran homeschooler?




As a homeschool blogger, I have often been approached by homeschoolers with a question or two. I began offering homeschool help five years ago by helping local families, when my daughter had become more independent in her learning.  




My husband and I built our family through adoption, flying to China to meet our daughter, at the tender age of 1. We have always homeschooled her, continuing from preschool, all the way thru high school.  


My daughter was accepted by four colleges, with scholarship offers, and is in  college now.  Be encouraged. We are pleased that she is having this opportunity and we are so glad that we homeschooled.  It was the best way for us to instill our family values and inspire her learning, one day at a time. 



My Background:

I am an eclectic homeschooler, and love hands-on learning.  We used a variety of curriculum, with a little charlotte mason, thrown in for good measure. 

I have worked as an OT, and taught preschool, pre-kid, but everything important that I have learned and value most, has been from homeschooling our daughter.


 

If you have a homeschooling a question or two, feel free to contact me.  No question is too small.  I can help with: 

1.  How do I getting started?
2.  Preschool
3.  Elementary thru High school
4.  Choosing Curriculum...and how to find a good fit
5.  College - preparing, applying, how to's - 
6.  Special Needs - ADD, ADHD, Sensory Issues
7.  What if my kids don't cooperate?
8.  Handwriting

To reach Betsy:
  
Like my facebook page, BJ's Homeschool, and send me an IM there. 

If it's a simple question, we can just do messaging.  For more lengthly discussions we can arrange a phone call through paypal



 I believe that homeschooling instills a love of learning and helps children to become all that they were meant to be.

Sometimes it's nice to have a little support while exploring the vast and sometimes overwhelming world of homeschooling.  


Recommendations:
  
"Betsy has been an immense help to me. When we were first starting to homeschool, she offered to assist. Her direction in everything from curricula choice to emotional adjustment was priceless. To this day, we remain connected as she gives me more information throughout our homeschool growth process. My only regret is that I don't live closer to her! Much gratitude and many thanks!!"  Theresa Harmon, Elem. Homeschooler, Pasco, WA


As a first time homeschooling parent - I could not say enough thanks to Betsy.  I first contacted her just to check out the basics for a new homeschooler, but her information and advice have been invaluable.  She is so knowledgeable about a wide range of issues, in many areas around the state.  That, coupled with her great attitude was fantastic!  Betsy - this note of recommendation for your outstanding assistance doesn't touch on all that I would to like to thank you for - but thank you!  You've made a great difference in our homeschool.  Janice Smith, homeschooler, Renton, WA.


Disclaimer:

My blog and my homeschool help services are based on my experience as a homeschool mom.  I do not give legal, medical, OT advice, or do educational assessments.  The decisions regarding the homeschool, it's curriculum, etc, is the province of the homeschooling family, in accordance with their state's homeschool law. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Betsy



Betsy blogs at BJ's Homeschool, where she writes about high school, college, and all the fun of homeschooling the early years, too.  As a veteran homeschooler, Betsy offers homeschool help to families.  


 Don't miss a post.
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This post is linked to some of my favorite blog hops here.


 copyright 2016, all rights reserved
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Printables for my New E-Book




Thank you for your support by purchasing my e-book/book!  

 Welcome!

 For purchasers of my new ebook, just click here to get the link to your printables.  Only one download is allowed.

 This link is just for you!  Please respect my copyright and of course you would not share it around.  But you are welcome to share the link to my book with your friends.

 Have a question?  Feel free to message me at BJ's Homeschool Facebook page.

Paperback on Amazon 
Kindle on Amazon 




Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy

Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool, 
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition,   She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting,  and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.
Want to stay in touch?

 

Subscribe, Pinterest, Facebook 

No spam ever.  
Just encouragement for your homeschool in your inbox.



Copyright, 2020
All Rights Reserved


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Cyber Monday Deals for Homeschoolers - 2025



With all the sales online this year, for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I got together with my friends to offer you great sales for your homeschool.

Homeschoolers deserve to have Black Friday and Cyber Monday, too, but I haven't heard of any current ones labeled as that this year.

But my friends and I are offering freebies, discounts, or regular prices that are frugal, for you to browse through below.

This is a chance to find the perfect resource for your homeschool, to make 2025 a great year for your kids and teens.  

Each of these items are made by homeschoolers! They are written by my friends, who are well known veteran homeschoolers.  

This list includes homeschool curriculum and resources for:
  • Social studies 
  • Psychology
  • English 
  • Art 
  • Gift ideas
  •  Homeschooling High School ebook

1.  7 Sisters Homeschool


7 Moms of high schoolers worked together homeschooling their teens, and now for us, through their blog and site called 7 Sisters Homeschool, they provide quality PDF curriculum for the following:

ENGLISH
LIT GUIDES
WRITING CLASSES
ELECTIVES
FINANCIAL LITERACY
HEALTH
CAREER EXPLORATION
ETC
 course.

These courses focus on building skills, and avoiding any busywork.  

Do you want some of my ideas from 7 Sisters to get your started?  Here are some of our favorites.

2. 7 Sisters Social Studies




Are you looking for something a little different for homeschool high school history?

7 Sisters Homeschool offers History and Philosophy of the Western World. Priced quite frugally.

This is a 1 credit PDF course includes both World History and World Philosophy. This is a fun and thought provoking course can be done by your teen independently.  It includes church history, too.  Always frugally priced.

As far as high school electives, did you know that many colleges accept Psychology as a Social Studies course?


3. 7 Sisters Christian Psychology Course


I wrote about it in this article  below, which gives you more of an idea of the course. 

It includes character development as it is a Christian course.




4.  7 Sisters English, Writing, and Literature Courses

I love their courses for English, or doing your own Literature with their lit guides, and Writing, all of which are frugal choices, and with no busy work. 




Tricia, from The Curriculum Choice, is offering a sale on her video based art lessons, perfect for your holiday homeschool.  

She is offering an introduction to Chalk Pastels for FREE.....  


5.  Art in the Afternoons

SALE - FREE!

(Reduced from $15.00)

Get Started in Chalk Pastels shows you how easy and simple it is to do fun and educational art projects with chalk pastels. and is on SALE for FREE all month. 

Perfect for all ages, and also can be a great for an art elective, which many colleges requiring it for admission.

Are you wondering how to make art into a high school elective?  This article tells you how we did that. And it's easy.




Blessings to you,


Betsy


Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool, 
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition,   She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting,  and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.


Stay in touch through my 

Copyright @BJ's Homeschool All Rights Reserved
2025

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How to Plan High School at Home -






This post has moved.  To reach this article please click here.




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Are you Homeschooling High School with College in Mind?

To learn how to assign high school credit and more, check out my ebook/book on college sharing how I helped my 2e daughter get into each of the colleges on her list, including an ivy.


 
What people and reviewers are saying about it:

"For parents new to homeschooling, this book is full of ideas, examples, and helpful advice. Since homeschooling is about having choices, we like that the author highlights how her family made their decisions and sorted through their options every year. 

I would recommend this book to any homeschool student and parent."  Lit Pick Review

Kindle -Amazon - ON SALE 45% OFF

Also in Paperback -Amazon


More high school posts are on Pinterest here: Homeschooling High School Pinterest Board.

Also on the blog:



Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy
Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled from day one.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, high school & college and wrote the book - Homeschooling High School with College in Mind.   She offers free homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting. 


Want to stay in touch?  

Subscribers will get the first chapter free! 


 Click here to get yours.

 This post was shared on my favorite linkups here.
Copyright @ BJ's Homeschool 2016


All Rights Reserved



  


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7 Benefits of Homeschooling & Dealing with "Those" Questions -




Summary:  Deciding to homeschooling high school can bring up "those questions" from others.  Here's a number of reasons why homeschooling teens is a great educational option.  #homeschoolhighschool  #highschool #homeschooltocollege
#whyhomeschoolhighschool


Are you getting "those" questions about your choice to homeschool when meeting people for the first time?  

 Do they even interview you with tons of questions about homeschooling your teen?

I remember those days, but not so fondly.  Especially when we were in the thick of it, homeschooling during the winter months, which often kept us in the house more than we liked.

 My husband and I knew we were doing the right thing for our daughter.  But when hit up with multiple questions about our homeschooling, and sometimes we just did not know what to say.

Once our daughter got into college, those questions all but dropped.  Finally!  

 And she did fine in her college classes, so it was obvious to our worried friends, that homeschooling had not "wrecked" her.

Actually, we credit homeschooling for helping our 2e kiddo get into college, and also in her making Dean's List there. 

Thinking back, there were a number of factors that made homeschooling our best choice for our daughter.  

 I share 7 ways that it did below.  

 And when friends and neighbors asked about our choices, I often drew my answers from this list.

 Feel free to use any of these ideas, when you are confronted with folks who challenge your educational choices.
7 Benefits of Homeschooling High School


1.  Homeschooling can best meet your teen's individual learning needs.

Homeschooling created an environment that nurtured and prepared our daughter well for college.  It gave us the flexibility to not only challenge her intellectually, but also explore and find ways to accommodate for her learning issues, similar to ADHD.

If she had been in public or private school, she would have been faced with learning most everything through listening to the teacher, in front of the class.  That would not have worked for our daughter.  And if she was tested, with only verbal directions, she would have failed.  In homeschooling, we used visual and tactile (hands-on) approaches, and she loved learning and excelled in it.  

As a homeschooler, she was able to learn in the way that she liked best. That is just the tip of the iceberg...


2. Homeschooling builds confidence by providing a strong foundation, and a soft place to fall, so crucial for kids, during the teen years.  

Nothing like knowing that a cozy home is a waiting our teens, when they just finished a difficult day at their part time job, a new activity, or just finished up with the ACT test.  She was well rested and able to focus on her test prep.  Later, in college, she is still taking advantage of this, as she commutes to campus.


3.  The 1 on 1 focus of homeschooling catches any learning gaps.

As homeschoolers, we can review, go back, switch up our curricula, or even add another year of high school, if that would help our teen.  

My daughter benefited from the freedom to switch curricula or approaches when needed, gearing our homeschooling to her strengths.  She was a visual learner, and we could set up her learning to focus on that, as opposed to auditory learning, and that made all the difference for her.

She could work ahead on some subjects, take extra time for others. It allowed us to accommodate for her sensory issues easily, day to day. 
4.  Homeschooling allows for time to build special gifts and foster and grow your teen's interests.  

Following their interests motivates our teens so much, even for doing the less interesting work that would be required for their chosen field of study. 

Helping our kids discover their inner-most gifts and interests, not only helps them grow, it also creates strong motivation for them to learn, study those things that will help them in the future.

When my daughter wanted to try her hand at becoming a leader, we found activities that would foster those skills. 

Homeschooling gave her the time, and the resources, to pursue her interests in leadership.  And when my daughter applied to her college honors leadership program, her high school activities helped her get accepted.  More information on Youth and Government and the Mock Youth Legislature program can be found in Chapter – Electives and Activities.


5.  Interest-led learning produces motivated, self-starters.  

Encouraging their interests builds self starters!  That is just what many colleges are looking for, motivated and independent learners,and those are things that makes a college student succeed.


6.  Homeschooling teaches self management skills

Homeschoolers learn how to organize their studies, plan their days, and prioritize what needs to be done first, etc....... all skills that are essential to success in college or a new vocation.

My teen even took our workboxing organization style with her to college!  Organizational skills learned at home were key to her success in her freshman classes at college.


7.  Homeschooling teaches problem solving and researching skills

My daughter watched me search and choose homeschool curriculum each year.  During homeschool, she had often seen me search for resources, as we chose curricula, searched for a dance class, or surfed the net for help in algebra, from Khan Academy.  

Through the years she learned how to problem solve and research things for herself, as she did that every day in our homeschool.

When faced with a difficult class in college, she put her problem solving skills to work.

So her first thought, when faced with this difficult college math 
class was not how she could find a way to drop it.  It was, instead, a question to be answered - What resource would help me to deal with this?

She came to me and we worked out a plan together.  She completed the class and did well in it.  Homeschooling taught her the problem solving skills to do that.  

Those are my top 7 reasons why homeschooling prepares our teens well for college.  

What would you add to this list?  

I helped my daughter get accepted by each of the college on her list, including a tier one U, with scholarship offers.
Have you seen my new book yet?  
________________________________

Do you want a guide to high school and college, plus my exclusive guide to the Common Application for homeschoolers? 

I have gathered together all my best tips for high school and college and put it into my new book, Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition. 

It gives you everything that you need to plan your high school homeschool for your college bound teen.  Plus how to help them get into the college of their choice.


Paperback is on Amazon for only $11.99
This book is an easy-to-read guide to college for homeschoolers, recently updated with 7 NEW chapters 

Recommended by: Lessa Scherrer, Certified College Counselor
                               from College Inside Track

"Betsy has a wealth of understanding and knowledge to share with the parents of college bound homeschoolers.  She provides support, encouragement and step-by-step advice on all aspects of the homeschool high school and college application process. This book is a must-read for parents considering homeschooling high school and for parents in the thick of the application process."




 




Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy




Betsy is mom to her now college grad, whom she homeschooled through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool, 
college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition,   She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting,  and has had some of her articles picked up by the Huffington Post.


Want to stay in touch?


Subscribe, Pinterest, Facebook 

No spam ever. 
 Just encouragement for your homeschool
 in your inbox.

Copyright, 2016 
Revised 2019

 All Rights Reserved

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