How to bring more FUN into your Charlotte Mason homeschool

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

The Charlotte Mason method is among the fastest-growing homeschool methods. With a focus on living books, nature, art, and recognizing the inherent worth of every child, we understand why. There is a lot of beauty to be had in a Charlotte Mason homeschool. It is also true that this method can sometimes feel rigid and overwhelming!

Let’s talk about how to make a Charlotte Mason education fun!!!!

Charlotte Mason Mom School

Yes, we always want to start with you! Mom-School is empowering to you as a woman and sets the stage for your children to follow your example because you make learning look so delightful. Charlotte Mason wanted children to delight in and love learning, and that starts with you setting an example!

The Home Education series by Charlotte Mason is a six-volume series explaining the why and how of her approach. These books cover babies through teens, walking you through every step of the way. They are essential for your Mom School basket if you want to incorporate Charlotte Mason in your home. She addresses and encourages Moms directly throughout the books.

Ms. Mason encourages and reminds us to keep school engaging, varied, and fun. Academic lessons should only take about half the day- yes, even for teens. Leaving lots of time for the children to do what they want to do! Crafts. Play outside. Create. Dream. Rest. You will learn a lot and be encouraged in these books.

You can read Volume 4- Ourselves- when your children are teens. This is when life with your growing kids gets fun! It’s about empowering them to become who they were meant to be, while you give them encouragement, support, and fair discipline. Ourselves will help you guide these conversations and develop their character- and yours.

Making Charlotte Mason Fun!

What I hear most often from Charlotte Mason moms is it’s “too much.” Too many notebooks. Too many narrations. Book lists that are way too long. They love the living books. They love the time outside. They love handicrafts, picture study, and studying the classics. But they struggle to find a balance.

I started out as a Charlotte Mason homeschool mom with some Montessori sprinkled in. Fun-Schooling journals were born because I wanted to include at the riches of this education without searching for individual notebooks. I created the Core Journal so I could take a break from customizing each child’s curriculum around their interest, while making sure we included copywork, nature study, logic, film study, math time.

After a while, I even created a Charlotte Mason-based core journal. Moms and kids loved it. It lets you cover everything you love about Charlotte Mason without switching around to a bunch of different notebooks or telling your kid to move on to the next subject. The journal walks them through it all. It gives them more independence, too.

Make your homeschool work for you. Are the book lists too long? Cut out books your kids (or you) don’t like. Do you struggle to find the time for read-alouds? Use audiobooks. Do you want to do interest-based learning and Charlotte Mason? Let your kids choose the topic & you can help them find living books to study from.

Fun-Schooling journals can let you mix the goodies of a Charlotte Mason education with FUN!

Charlotte Mason Fun-Schooling Journals

All of our journals were created with a love for Charlotte Mason, so you can use any that you and your children like. These are the most popular-

Pondering the Past– copywork from 30 classical works

American History Timeline– part American History book, part Charlotte Mason timeline

World History Timeline– a key part of a C.M. education is a timeline, this lets you easily set one up!

Nature Study & Outdoor Science

Picturing the Past– Picture study

Creative Copywork & Copywork from the Bible

Read more-

Our FREE magazine from Winter 2025 was about all things Fun-Schooling Charlotte Mason
21 Thoughts About Core Journals will help you understand more about these journals that combine all the CM riches in one place
What is Copywork? Will walk you through how to start copywork and why it matters

“What’s this?”- Tips for homeschooling curious kids!

/ Amanda Osenga / Leave a comment

If your kid is always asking “What’s that?” or “What happened?” and dives into research like it’s a treasure hunt, you’ve probably got a Detective Learner. These curious kiddos are a joy, with their endless questions and passion for uncovering answers. You can help channel their investigative energy into their homeschooling. Homeschooling curious kids can sometimes be tiring; they often have a lot of questions. Today I’ll provide a few tips to help them- and you- thrive. 

Who Are Detective Learners?

Detective Learners are all about solving mysteries and digging deep. They’re the kids who love libraries, computers, and anything that feels like a puzzle—whether it’s figuring out how reptiles tick or why Minecraft blocks behave the way they do. They’ll take apart a gadget just to see what’s inside. They ask a million “What?” questions: “What’s it made of? What happened next?” They might spend months or even years obsessed with one topic. These kids will either guard their knowledge like a secret or share it like they’re teaching a masterclass.

Understanding Their Learning Style

Detective Learners thrive when they can chase their passions and dive in deep. They can become experts young, especially if you let them focus on what they love. Some might be super private about their research, treating it like a personal mission, while others can’t stop talking about their latest findings. Many Detectives, including some with Asperger’s, have a knack for hyper-focus and love science & hands-on experiments. They need structure and the right tools to keep their curiosity from feeling overwhelming. 

Tips to Help Your Detective Learner Thrive

  • Follow Their Passions: Let your Detective choose their study topic—whether it’s bugs, inventions, history, or something totally out of left field. Encourage them to go deep; don’t worry if they stick with one subject for ages. Let them use our core journals to dive deep into anything they want to learn about while covering all the required subjects.
  • Set Up a Research Haven: Create a cozy spot with a desk, good lighting, research materials, and shelves for their books and projects. Libraries are a favorite place, so plan regular visits to let them hunt for answers. Give them plenty of uninterrupted time and space to dig in. Include a copy of Lost & Found or another Brain Games journal. These are full of puzzles to solve that Detectives love.
  • Encourage Hands-On Exploration: Detectives usually enjoy flexible guided learning, especially materials that let them uncover facts. Our theme journals like All About Bugs, 7 Subject Science Portfolio: Minecraft & The Real World, and Travel Dreams: 30 Cities are goldmines. These are a fun way to let your student deep dive into their interests!
  • Nurture Their Career Dreams: Help them learn about the career path they are interested in. It’s not uncommon for a Detective to know what they want to do for work at a young age. If unsure, How to Make Money gives children dozens of options for potential jobs. It will teach them how to take their interests and make a financial future with them! They’ll research money-making ideas, from starting a business to side gigs, building skills for their dream career while satisfying their need to plan & research.
  • Be Patient with Their Questions: Those “What?” and “Why?” questions are their learning engine. Answer what you can, then point them to resources. Fun-Schooling journals can take a bit of pressure off of you by allowing them to learn how to answer their own questions.
  • Explore Unexpected Interests: Detectives often love patterns and systems, which can appear in surprising places like dance or movement. If they’re curious about how things move, the Book of Dance lets them investigate dance history, styles, and even physics. It’s a sneaky way to blend their analytical side with creativity. Or let them learn about Science, Cultures, Mythology, and Animals with Endangered, Extinct, and Legendary Animals. Sometimes, presenting something new and unexplored for Detective kids is a good idea. They do tend to get tunnel vision and may miss a new interest!
  • Protect Their Focus: When they’re deep in a project—whether it’s a science experiment or a carefully built Lego set—try not to interrupt. Their concentration is intense, and they need space to think. 

A Word on Balance

Detective Learners can get so caught up in their research that they forget to come up for air. Gently nudge them toward balance with activities like time in nature or art, to stretch their minds. They also might need additional support with Language Arts, as these kids are often very science-minded. Warrior Word Work is a good place to start with younger Detectives; Pirate Pronunciation for older students. 

If they’re private about their work, give them space but ask gentle questions like, “What’s something cool you found out today?” For chatty Detectives who share every fact, listen with a big smile—they’re letting you into their world.

For kids with Asperger’s or similar traits, routine is everything. Create a predictable schedule, but let them pick the topics. If they’re super protective of their projects (or that one special Lego creation), set clear boundaries with siblings about respecting their space. Above all, celebrate their expertise—it’s their gift, and you’re helping them shine.

Enjoy! 

Homeschooling a Detective Learner is like being their partner on a grand investigation. They’re wired to ask questions, solve puzzles, and chase their passions, and you get to be their guide. Listen to their interests, give them room to dig deep, and watch them become the experts they’re meant to be. 

———————-

We cultivated this Detective Learner bundle with your curious students in mind! It contains our most popular journals for kids who love research, puzzles, and problem-solving. We’ve also included a suggested lesson plan to make implementing it easier.

How a Neuroscience Discovery Sparked Dyslexia Games: A Personal Reflection on Reading in the Brain

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Over a decade ago, I stumbled upon a book that changed the course of my family’s journey—and eventually, the lives of tens of thousands of families around the world. That book was Reading in the Brain by neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene. In it, he explains what happens inside the brain when we read—and what doesn’t happen in the brains of people with dyslexia.

The chapter that stood out to me most as a mother of dyslexic children was the one on dyslexia, but the chapter before it offered a key insight that unlocked everything for me. Dehaene describes the “letterbox” area in the left hemisphere of the brain—the visual word form area—as the hub where reading takes place in a neurotypical brain. But for people with dyslexia, this area is either inactive or extremely slow during reading tasks, which explains their deep struggles with recognizing written language.

But then came the breakthrough: brain scans of dyslexic individuals who eventually learn to read showed something amazing. Instead of the left-side letterbox lighting up, a mirrored area on the right hemisphere becomes active—abundantly active, in fact. The dyslexic brain was not broken; it was finding a new way. The right brain, it turned out, was stepping in to compensate—and succeeding.

When I read that, I felt chills. It confirmed what I had suspected from watching my own children: the right brain holds the key.

So I decided to experiment. I began developing a therapy based on the idea of activating the right side of the dyslexic brain by engaging its natural strengths:

• Visual thinking
• Drawing and pattern recognition
• 3D spatial awareness
• Envisioning
• Creativity
• Intuition
• Holistic problem-solving
• Artistic expression

Instead of forcing phonics drills or repetitive worksheets, I started where the dyslexic brain thrives.

I started creating puzzle games for my nine-year-old daughter, Anna, who couldn’t even read the word “dad”.

I reintroduced literacy slowly—starting with art and logic games that included symbols and simple, visually distinct letters. Then I gradually added more challenging, commonly confused letters (like b/d, m/w p/q, n/u), and eventually moved on to short words, sentences, poetry, reading games, writing activities, and spelling puzzles—all integrated into fun, visual, and logic-based exercises.

This became the foundation of Dyslexia Games.

My theory was simple: If I could light up the right brain through activities it loves, and gently introduce reading within that context, then that hemisphere could actually learn to read. And Dehaene’s research supported this idea. MRI studies showed that when dyslexic people do succeed in reading, it’s not because their brains “fixed” the left side—but because the right hemisphere took over.

Even more fascinating is what Dehaene shares in The Science of Reading: post-mortem studies of dyslexic brains have found bundles of immature neurons in the reading centers of the left hemisphere, likely formed incorrectly in the womb. That’s not something we can fix—but thankfully, the right brain doesn’t have that problem. The amazing human brain reroutes, compensates, and overcomes.

And the results? Children who had once felt broken began reading joyfully—without confusion, frustration, or shame. In just about three months, many of these kids became passionate readers, because they were finally using the part of their brain designed to help them succeed.

We’ve now seen tens of thousands of children overcome reading struggles with this method.

If you’re a parent or teacher of a child with dyslexia, I urge you to read Dehaene’s Reading in the Brain. You’ll find the science that explains what you’ve likely seen with your own eyes. And if you’re ready to try a right-brain approach to literacy, DyslexiaGames.com is here to help you begin that healing journey.

Your child is not broken. Their brain is just wired differently. And that’s not a weakness—it’s a strength waiting to be unlocked.

Learn More


Rodrigo Gains the Childhood He Was Missing Thanks to Dyslexia Games
Dyslexia Games FAQs
Homeschooling a Child with Dyslexia | Tips to Keep it Fun

Letting Them Be Little: Soaking Up the Sweetness of Childhood

/ Amanda Osenga / Leave a comment

Guest post by Clerissa Kritzinger

This week, I found myself looking at my boys and wondering—where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday they were tiny babies in my arms, and now, here we are, stepping into the pre-teen and teen years. Watching them grow is such a blessing, but it’s also a gentle reminder of how fleeting childhood truly is.

When we chose to home educate, one of our biggest hopes was to give our boys the freedom to stay kids for as long as possible. Even now, at 13 and 11, they still embrace the joys of being children. Mud fights, endless hours of outdoor play, building with LEGO, climbing trees, doing experiments, and letting their imaginations run wild—this is what their days are filled with. And honestly, it fills my heart with so much joy.

Childhood is such a short-lived season.

But when I see their eyes light up with wonder, when their creativity spills out in the simplest of moments, I’m reminded of the beauty in this chapter. It’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

One of the greatest blessings God has given me is the chance to watch my boys just be boys. Fun-Schooling has opened up a world of freedom for us—not just to learn, but to love learning. To explore life, to be curious, and to make memories that will last a lifetime.

So for now, I’m soaking up every moment—the good ones and even the hard ones. Because all of them are blessings, shaping our story and building memories we’ll cherish forever.

5 Reasons Why I Deeply Regret Homeschooling…

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Here are five reasons why I deeply regret homeschooling my children all these years. For context, I have 15 children ranging in age from 10-26. They have all been homeschooled,

1. Too much socialization. My kids have friends of all ages, each other, youth group, co-ops, and extracurriculars. I was really looking forward to raising socially awkward recluses, but here we are.

2. I never get to wake up at 6 AM. No alarms, no dragging half-asleep kids anywhere, no rushed mornings. I miss the chaos… said no one ever.

3. They don’t know what ‘busy work’ is. They think learning should be fun, meaningful, and based on curiosity. Poor things never experienced filling out 30 pointless worksheets just to pass the time.

4. Learning keeps happening. Even when “school” is over, my kids are still asking questions, researching, and exploring. It turns out curiosity doesn’t clock out at 3 PM. Who knew?

5. I actually enjoy my kids. Turns out, when kids aren’t exhausted from school stress, they’re really fun to be around.

Final verdict: No regrets. Just freedom, flexibility, and a life we actually love.

How about you? What would you add to this list? How do you respond to people who ask if you have regrets about homeschooling?

Helping your creative student THRIVE

/ Amanda Osenga / 1 Comment

Does your child seem to learn like no other? Are they bursting with ideas? Do they need to build, paint, draw, photograph, and create? Is it hard for them to sit still- they always need to MAKE something?

If your child is always sketching, storytelling, or turning random objects into masterpieces, you might just have a Creator Learner. Let’s dive into how to nurture their gifts and make learning a joyful adventure!

Creator kids are the dreamers and doers. They don’t just want to learn facts—they want to make something with them. These kids show their true colors when given freedom to create. They’re the ones building elaborate LEGO worlds, not because they’re told to, but because their minds are buzzing with stories and possibilities. They learn best when they can express themselves, whether through art, music, writing, or even math turned into a creative puzzle.

What Else Can I Do?- Helping your creative student THRIVE

Homeschooling a creative student is about giving them tools to bring their ideas to life. Here are some ways to spark their imagination:

  • Let Them Tell Stories: Creator Learners love weaving narratives. The Secret World of Talking Animals lets your students dive into imaginative worlds and craft their perfect stories. While Creative Comic Book Spelling journal turns spelling practice into comic-strip adventures, letting kids craft stories while mastering words. Mix in a bit of history study with the Past Times Paper. Put students in the role of the reporter of key events in American history.
  • Make Math Imaginative– Math can be painful for creative students because it feels too rigid. Try Create Your Own Book of Complicated Math Concepts—it’s a playful way for students to approach math. They can design their own problems & projects and write stories around numbers. It helps make math a creative quest. This is also a good option to use alongside your chosen math curriculum to solve equations and document learning.
  • Music as a Muse: If your child writes their own tunes or dreams of performing, the Singer & Songwriter and its companion Workbook are perfect. These guide them to write songs, explore emotions, and even design album covers, blending music with self-expression.
  • Building Art Skills: For kids who want to develop their drawing skills, try Teach Yourself to Draw. These books encourage them to explore techniques and create portfolios of their own designs. The Artist Core Journal lets your Creator Learner study all the basic school subjects with a focus on art. They’ll complete art challenges, work on their skills, and learn about art & art styles worldwide.
  • Give them the World as Inspiration: My Wide World Fashion School gives your student a chance to design clothing inspired by cultures worldwide—they’ll even sneak in some social studies along the way! Tropical Birds Research Journal incorporates nature study, science, and art. The color photos capture the imagination of artists and there are plenty of drawing and coloring opportunities included too.
  • Capture the World: Creator Learners often see beauty everywhere. The Camera Quest journal turns photography into a learning adventure, prompting them to snap photos and write about what they see. It’s like a scrapbook of their unique perspective. This is also popular with students who have desires for a career in filming.
  • Destress and Relax: Even Creator Learners need a mental workout. Morning Light Brain Games offers puzzles and activities that feel like play but sharpen their thinking, giving them new ideas to fuel their next project.

Creator Learners thrive when the focus is shifted away from grades or perfection to joy, creativity, and discovery. Homeschooling a Creator Learner means trusting their process. They might not follow a straight line, but they’re building something incredible. When they’re deep in a project, they’re learning to think, solve problems, and express who they are. That’s the heart of Fun-Schooling—celebrating their gifts, not fixing their “flaws.”

So, if your child’s desk is a mess of sketches, half-built models, or story fragments, don’t worry. You’re not raising a kid who fails—you’re nurturing a Creator Learner who’s growing every day. Grab one of these journals, step back, and watch them soar.

If you’re homeschooling creative kids, we’ve created this bundle just for them. It’s also a popular Mom School bundle! It contains our most popular journals for Creator Learners and a suggested lesson plan. It and many of the journals mentioned above are on SALE for our April 2025 Creator Month.

PEEK Inside THIS BUNDLE – 

Hop over to Facebook and Instagram for a chance to peek inside the bundle. 

Stay tuned monthly as we announce a new secret theme with sales, giveaways, bundles, tips, and more.

Let us know what other questions and resources would be helpful for you to homeschool your Creator kid.

Read more about Fun-Schooling Creator Learners

Discover Your Child’s Secret Learning Language with Legos!
Understanding Super-Creators: How to Nurture Your Child’s Creative Spirit
Do You Have a Super-Creator?

From Struggling at Public School to Homeschool Success: A Journey to Fun, Creative Learning

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Deciding to transition a child from public school to homeschool can be an overwhelming choice for many families. Loving parents want the best education possible for their children. They’ll work to ensure their home is a place of creativity, games, music, art, conversation, and activity. 

Life can be great at home. Your children may be perfectly happy there. Yet they struggle in school. 

Maybe your student quickly became bored and discouraged. 

They get confused by worksheets. Spelling tests, math problems, and sitting at a desk all day are not their idea of fun. Moving from room to room in a perfect line. All the noise in the cafeteria. The sense of losing their freedom, having every minute of the day controlled by someone who barely knows them. 

This was how I felt when I was a little girl. I went to school for the first few years and was miserable there. The thing I liked best each day was watching the big clock in the center of the wall in the front of the classroom when the hour hand pointed to the big three. I also liked the bell that would ring at the end of the school day.

I became a daydreamer. I would doodle on my schoolwork. I would play with my pencils and make origami when the teacher wasn’t looking. I would look out the window and imagine I was somewhere else. 

I felt like school was a waste of time, and I didn’t see why I should have to go. I wasn’t even good at schoolwork; the letters swirled around on the page, and long lists of math facts made me dizzy. 

Does my experience sound like your child? How about any of these-

Signs it might be time to transition from public school to homeschool.

Are your child’s problems at school creating problems at home?
Does your child say they are dumb, lazy, or immature?
Has your child’s self-esteem gone down since starting school?
Are they withdrawing?
Does the teacher say they are distracted, unmotivated, or creating problems?
Is there a chance they might fail the grade they’re currently in?

Making an easy switch!

I took my experiences as an unhappy student and transformed them into a FUN homeschool curriculum. I create curriculum that makes learning the basics really fun! 

I started by creating a series of therapy workbooks that use art and logic to teach reading, writing, and spelling. It’s helped thousands of kids so far. I’m even adding two new books to the series. It was so successful that I created a partner program for math. I’ve made over 300 books and PDFS covering every standard school subject and dozens of extra “special interest” subjects. 

Do you have a struggling learner? Are you thinking about transitioning your student from public school to homeschool? I can help! 

Just ask me anything in the comments and I’ll do my best to share my tips. You can also email or reach out via DM on Facebook or Instagram. Making the switch to homeschooling can be pain-free! .

Learn More

Flip to Fun-Schooling!
Is Fun-Schooling a Full Curriculum?
Sarah’s Mom Tips: Two Questions to Jump Start Your Fun-Schooling

Embracing Self-Care as a Mom: Finding Strength in the Midst of It All

/ Amanda Osenga / Leave a comment

Guest post by Clerissa Kritzinger

Being a mom in today’s world is tough. We feel the pressure from all sides. Society tells us we must “do it all.” We need to work, keep our homes spotless, educate our children, make everything organic, always look our best, and show up as the best version of ourselves.

I know the weight of these expectations takes a toll. It impacts us not only physically but mentally as well. As a mom who struggles with mental health, I understand how difficult it can be to find quiet time with God when everything feels overwhelming. You don’t want to share your struggles for fear of judgment or negative opinions. 

I’m sharing this with you so you know you’re not alone.

The weight of it all can be crushing. Momma, we weren’t made to carry this burden alone. Our Heavenly Father created us for fellowship and companionship. It’s more than okay to reach out and ask for help. You don’t need to feel ashamed of needing support. I truly believe it takes more strength and courage to admit you need help than to try to do everything alone.

As moms, we each have unique talents and abilities that God has blessed us with. Those are our strengths—the tools we need to face daily challenges.

Here are a few things I do when my mental load becomes too much:

Pray: I keep a prayer journal. I set a timer for 10 minutes and allow myself that time to pour out my heart to God.

Listen to Scripture Music: Scripture-based music has been helpful. It calms my spirit and helps me memorize Scripture.

Take a 5-10 Minute Break Between Tasks: Moving from one task to the next can be draining. I’ve been reminding myself to take a short break between tasks to reset my mind and prepare for what’s next.

Color: Coloring is a simple yet effective way to calm my mind. Even just 10 minutes of quiet coloring is enough to restore some peace.

Crochet: Lately, crochet has been my go-to. The creative process helps me unwind and drown out distractions.

Take a Nap: Naps have a way of helping me process my emotions. I’ve noticed that when I lose my temper, it’s often because I’m exhausted.

I know life is busy, and our plates are overflowing as moms, but if we don’t care for ourselves mentally and physically, we can’t show up for our families in the best way possible.

So, take some time for yourself. Don’t let mom guilt take over. You are worth so much more than you realize, not just to your family but, most importantly, to your Creator.

Read more-
Here are some of our favorite resources for Moms to nurture themselves.
Homeschooling Moms Can & Must Make Time for Self Care
NEW Mastering Me: Self Care Journal (great for Moms and kids!)

Book suggestions for Fun-Schooling journals

/ Amanda Osenga / 1 Comment

We like to post threads in our private Facebook Group suggesting books and resources for different journals. These are items the Fun-Schooling team has used, and Moms in the FB group have used with their kids.

Today I am putting all of these threads together in one place for you! I hope this will be a useful tool for you and your children as you figure out what to do with your Fun-Schooling Journals! I will update this whenever we post new suggestions.

Book & Resource Suggestions for Fun-Schooling Journals

Here are links to all the threads for journal + resource suggestions we have completed so far. If you are NOT on Facebook and would like this information, please feel free to reach out, and we’ll be happy to get it to you another way.

Book & journal suggestions by grade-level

Note: By including these books on our lists, we are not implying any endorsement, partnership, or affiliation with the authors or publishers of these books. These are suggestions based on feedback from other Fun-Schooling families. Select materials at your discretion based on your family’s values and needs.

Have a journal you’re eager to see suggestions for? Let us know in the comments or send us a DM!

You might also like these articles-

Budget-Friendly Tips from Real Fun-Schooling Moms
PDF Journals- tips, printing ideas, and more
Transitioning Toward Adult Life (books Sarah’s teens all read)

How to Transform Your Homeschool: Perfectionism to Joy

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Homeschool moms! Let’s throw our stress overboard! Let’s release the things that cause stress! Let’s set ourselves (and our kids) free from unreasonable and irrational expectations. Somehow, we imagined that these unrealistic goals were the right way.
Untangle yourself and your kids from the things that choke out the joy in learning!
Here’s how:
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the ability to take their thoughts captive and release burdens that were never meant to be theirs to carry. As homeschooling parents, we often focus on academic achievement, but if we aren’t careful, we can unintentionally plant seeds of anxiety, perfectionism, and self-doubt in our children’s hearts.
God never intended for us to live weighed down by fear or the need to perform for approval. Matthew 11:28-30 reminds us to come to Jesus for rest, and 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. These truths are not just for us as parents—they are essential for our children as they grow into the people God created them to be.
So how do we weave these lessons into our homeschool days?


The Hidden Burden of Traditional Schooling
In many educational settings, children are trained to work for grades, external approval, and the fear of making mistakes. Every assignment is graded, every test has red marks, and progress is often measured by how few errors they make rather than how much they have learned.

When children are constantly evaluated this way, they internalize a dangerous belief: “I am only as good as my ability to get things right.”

This burden is heavy, and I’ve seen how it plays out in adulthood. It creates individuals who are afraid to take risks, explore new ideas, or step into their God-given creativity. Instead of growing into confident problem-solvers, they become people-pleasers, perfectionists, or those who avoid challenges altogether because they fear failure.
When I was young, I struggled with traditional academics. I saw myself as someone who wasn’t smart enough, always focusing on my weaknesses rather than my gifts. I even failed third grade!!!
But when I embraced learning on my own terms (at age 13) following my curiosity, using creativity, and celebrating progress instead of perfection—I discovered a love for learning that has lasted a lifetime. This is the heart of Fun-Schooling.

How Fun-Schooling Releases Burdens
Fun-Schooling is not about performance—it’s about passion, mastery, and lifelong learning. Instead of burdening our children with the fear of failure, we give them the tools to learn with confidence and joy.
In our home and in thousands of Fun-Schooling families, kids don’t study to earn grades or please a teacher. They study to pursue knowledge, build skills, and prepare for the future God has for them.

Traditional school teaches kids to focus on their mistakes.
Fun-Schooling teaches kids to focus on their gifts.

When kids are given the freedom to research, explore, and follow their interests, they become fearless learners. They know that making mistakes isn’t failure—it’s part of the process. Instead of becoming burdened by anxiety, they develop the mental strength, confidence, and peace that are uncommon in traditionally schooled children.

Teaching Kids to Take Thoughts Captive
So how do we practically help our children apply 2 Corinthians 10:5—taking every thought captive—and Matthew 11:28-30—laying down heavy burdens?
Here are a few ways to include character teaching in your homeschool day…

Click here to keep reading!

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