Welcome! My name is Shannon. I am a homeschooling mom of three young kids (ages 4, 6, and 8).
Historically, hearths were central, vital features in homes. They were indispensable because they provided heat, light, and a means by which to prepare food. The larger hearths located in smithies were used to heat metals that were then shaped into essential tools. In my house, we don’t homeschool beside a literal hearth. However, we do homeschool beside the concepts symbolized by hearths: love, warmth, light, nourishment, development, and vitality.
I love discussing homeschooling with other parents and sharing the things that work for my family. If you’ve homeschooled for any length of time, then you know that there are numerous challenges associated with it! We all benefit from support and encouragement, which is why I started this site.
There are a number of things you won’t find here. These include an expert homeschooler who “has it all together,” Pinterest-perfect projects, and ideas that support one single homeschooling approach. What you will find is a real-life mom who is figuring things out as she goes along, simple projects that anyone can replicate, and ideas that support a wide variety of homeschooling approaches. My youngest daughter is autistic, so you’ll also see glimpses into our journey of discovering how to best homeschool an autistic child. In my house, homeschooling permeates almost every aspect of our daily lives, so I’ll sometimes share posts on a few homeschool-adjacent topics.
Whether you read a dozen of my posts or only one, I hope you benefit from the content you read. Feel free to join in the discussion and share about your experiences. All the best to you as you continue your homeschooling journey!
To contact me, please send an email to hearthsidehomeschooling@gmail.com.