9. Above all, pray!

The Lord provided divine inspiration daily during our homeschool years. He is faithful and will provide it for you, too. If He has called you to teach your children at home, then He will provide the means to see it through. Psalm 138:8 is a scripture that is especially meaningful to me: “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” That verse covers everything, even teaching writing skills!

There are many resources available to help inspire kids to write. One of my favorites for all ages is If You’re Trying to Teach Kids to Write, You’ve Gotta Have This Book! by Marjorie Frank. This book is full of fun activities that can be used with one or more students. Other good sources include online lesson plan sites, such as www.forlessonplans.com. Many have free writing activities for grades K-12.

Your kids will need to write no matter what they do in life. Be patient; they are works in progress. Help them stretch their writing and communication skills, and you’ll give them an edge for their future. You never know, someday they just might send you a thank-you note! 

This article was originally published in the Jan/Feb ’08 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more information, visit http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com