The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

…to examine evidence in a major crime where the ATF was expected to do just that. The FBI is claiming that there is no easy way to find those documents. If you don’t want crazy conspiracy theories abounding, don’t give obviously false or absurd statements! Homeschooling Reader J.C. sent in this article on a Massachusetts woman who was handcuffed and arrested in front of her child for the horrendous crime of homeschooling. Apparently, Massachusetts has a law that states that to be able to homeschool, you have to file an education plan with your school district and they have to approve it. That law places total control in the hands of the district. In the case of this woman, they simply ignored her efforts and when she homeschooled her child, they used near-swat tactics to intimidate her. The scary thing is the number of agencies involved in this process and




Nine Ways To Be More Self-Sufficient (Even If You Live In The City), by K. Sowell

…most compelling reason to homeschool, in my opinion, is so that you can cultivate in your children the knowledge, principles, and values that are important to you while you take full responsibility for their education. You don’t have to enumerate all the problems with our public school system to understand that responsible parents are better equipped to educate their own children than those government-run institutions that resemble prisons more than schools. I live in a state that is very homeschool-friendly; resources are readily available and it’s not difficult to find other homeschooling families. However, if homeschooling is less common where you live, I recommend exploring the Internet for inspiration and ideas, if you are unsure about homeschooling. It is a lifestyle change, but one that is immensely rewarding and will give your family a degree of independence that will be an advantage in an unstable world. Like so much in…




The Editors’ Preps for the Week of May 15th, 2017

…two years with incubating some of our chickens’ eggs. This first batch, this spring, didn’t succeed, probably because we didn’t watch their temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels as closely this time as we had in previous times. We just had too many other projects happening. Lily says she feels rather sad about it, but we’ll try again in June when life has “slowed” down a bit after the “spring rush”. A few of our cattle have an appointment with our local butcher this coming week. We’ll post a follow-up about that. Homeschool Also, we’ve been wrapping up our homeschool program for the year. Those who homeschool know how much time this can take. However, we are preparing our children for their futures. Have a blessed week! HJL: The Latimer Homestead is still picking up nails and debris from our roofing work of last week. It’s a bit treacherous for man,…




The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

…clinics making sure that the women can’t hear from those pleading for one last chance for the innocent child’s life and provide support for the mothers. Thanks to reader D.S. for the link. Homeschooling You would be amazed at the number of people who think that they can’t homeschool their kids and as a result, leave them in the progressive/leftist/liberal indoctrination camps commonly refered to as public school. Reader DSV sent in this article that shows a few things about how homeschooling works for prepper minded parents. Did you know that you already homeschool your kids? Unless there are specific laws denying you the right to homeschool your kids, you should be moving in that direction. We did it all at once, deciding to make a go of it on one salary, but there are other ways too. Take a look at this article if homeschooling is something that you…




Economics & Investing For Preppers

…it could go to zero tomorrow but we’ll see what happens. Fees apply as dictated by the rules of capitalism. Rates for buying and selling per PayPal website: 1.00 – 24.99 USD 0.50 USD 25.00 – 100.00 USD 2.30% 100.01 – 200.00 USD 2.00% 200.01 – 1000.00 USD 1.80% 1000.01 USD + 1.50% Rachel We are considering leaving Texas (very hot and dry, close to the border, the sand only yields cactus, mesquite and thorns–-and the political changes of the big cities). As homeschoolers, we have no requirement to even notify the local school and no requirement to turn in any sort of testing, curriculum, etc. We have looked at SD, but homeschool is much more regulated there. Anyone homeschooling in SD? What about neighboring WY? Telesilla of Argos Here’s another voice for liberty to add… The link below is for Dr. Dan’s Freedom Forum, and today’s article titled “Our…




America’s Public Schools are Government Indoctrination Centers

…it. Try private. Try moving. Try Homeschool. Try anything. This is survival right? If instruction is working share some good info with the community (as several other posters have done). Elliamaria I am a mother of a soon to be 5th grader. I started homeschooling my child in third grade, and I regret not starting earlier. I strongly agree that the public school system is a well designed process that turns our children into narrow minded, brainwashed robots who are incapable of any creative thinking. The public schools spend more time teaching our kids to bow their heads to authority than teaching them how the real world works, and how to survive in it. In my experience the blame falls equally on the education programs followed at public schools and on the parents. I have talked to many people about homeschooling their children, and the usual reply for not doing…




Homeschooling, a Report From the Trenches – Part 3, by N.C.

…I’ve then gotten from the library or bought myself. The well-educated mind: a guide to the classical education you never had. The single best book on homeschooling I’ve read. I do not educate as strictly as she does but the strokes she draws are excellent. It’s worth reading and borrowing elements from for your homeschool. I highly recommend this for any homeschooling parent. What your [ Kindergartner, 1st grader, 2nd grader…] needs to know This is not a whole curriculum but it is a good reality check. Even if your child is advanced for their grade (they probably will be) they will enjoy the poems and stories contained inside. It’s also a good reminder for you as a teacher since we all have our strengths and weaknesses. You’ll find something that you realize you need to put some extra study time on for your child. The series goes through 6th…




Homeschooling, a Report From the Trenches – Part 1, by N.C.

I was surprised to see that homeschooling was a topic of interest for SurvivalBlog but given homeschooling’s growth over the last few years, I ought not have been. So first, why should you listen to me? Well, I was homeschooled K-12, graduated college, got two advanced degrees, taught at the university level, and am now homeschooling my own kids. My wife’s much more practical choice of major means that this is the logical choice for us. I am a homeschooling success story and I believe in it enough to shoulder the cost and the work (as my children shoulder the risk) of me homeschooling them. I want to start with a word of warning: there are no guarantees. I’ve seen my share of homeschoolers who went crazy in college, who were unable to do the work of college, who wound up as NEETs (Not Employed Educated or Trained), or who…




Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 1, by R.B., EdD.

…you already pay exorbitant taxes to support the public schools, and you don’t get a refund if you don’t use what you pay for. That is true in part, and many states are waking up to this injustice, with proposals for voucher programs. It is also an admission that public education in America spends twice as much per pupil as any other developed nation, and yet sees a dismal return on this investment. So what will homeschooling cost you? Your lifestyle will require some alteration, perhaps major change. A parent may have to work from home, or even give up a job. We found that was actually possible for many during the pandemic, and many parents reported actually liking their children and enjoying the whole experience. Compared to this, homeschool materials cost very little, and later in this article I will point you to sources available to you. A third…




Teach Your Children Well, by Vicki W.

My daughter was recently in an Earth Science class where a discussion took place. The other students didn’t know that the dandelion with the yellow flower and the dandelion with the white seeds were one and the same. And this is from students who have taken numerous public school science classes and will soon be out in the adult world. As I told this to a close friend, she made the observation that this will be the level and skills of people we will be dealing with should TEOTWAWKI happen. My heart hurts that children aren’t taught to think and how to ask appropriate questions. Some never develop a thirst for knowledge. They are simply unprepared to live an independent and self-sufficient lifestyle. As a 12-year homeschooling mom, I have some thoughts and ideas to share with others concerning children and the area of preparedness. I realize that many readers…




The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

…or homeschool them. If you think you can’t afford it, find a homeschool advocacy group in your area. You really can, though you may have to adjust your living expectations. Thanks to D.S. for the link. Schools Encouraging Walk-Outs Over Guns A SurvivalBlog reader forwarded an email to us that he received from his daughter’s middle school in Charlottesville encouraging parents to allow their children to participate in the non-education related, social justice warrior activity. While the email is too lengthy to reprint in full here, some of the statements include: Students will be permitted to leave class to participate in the demonstration in an orderly manner and we will encourage them to remain on school property to maximize safe conditions. Harassment of students whether they participate or choose not to participate in the walkout will not be tolerated. And you just thought your school was about education. The Police…




SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

…flesh one way or another. Ultimately we chose to remain in Nebraska as their homeschool laws are very limited and we pray that they remain that way. Although, Idaho’s [minimal] homeschooling laws made it a difficult choice. Ultimately, we chose to move about as far away from my work as I could reasonably commute. We moved from Lincoln, NE to a rural county onto an acre of property that affords the opportunity to keep chickens for meat and eggs and bees. Taxes are much less as well and the neighbors look out for us as opposed to casing our house. With the housing boom, we were able to sell our house at a large enough profit to pay off our existing home. Not having a house payment is liberating, but with our new property, we have the concerns of well and septic issues, an older property needing more upkeep and




JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

…mainstream media (MSM). It is commndable that Owens’s Blackout is getting such strong sales when it is being consciously ignored by the MSM. o o o In our comments section SurvivalBlog reader “Once a Marine” recommended this book: Public Works: A Handbook for Self-Reliant Living- First Aid and Survival / Child Care / Health / Food / Farm and Home / Tools and Construction, compiled by Walter Szykitka. JWR’s Comment: Wait and watch for used copies that come up for sale on Amazon or eBay, for under $25 each! o o o Home Learning Year by Year, Revised and Updated: How to Design a Creative and Comprehensive Homeschool Curriculum o o o The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids o o o Beyond Brilliance: The Blueprint for Learning Anything o o o The McGuffey Readers o o o Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God,…




Prayer Before You Prepare, by C.H.

…news for any hints on what to get ready for. And then I watched all my prepper plans lead to frustration. I couldn’t find a job outside the major urban complex where I lived. I have forgotten how many resumes I sent, and how many interviews I had. No bites. I wound up having to sell my stockpile when financial hard times came. My timing was always wrong – I would buy at high prices during panics and be forced to sell when medical or credit card bills came due. I struggled to build a common vision for the prepping life with my wife. Where and when should we move? Should I quit my career in the city and try something else? To homeschool, or not to homeschool? I couldn’t seem to get off the ground. I was frustrated, exhausted, and angry. I was stuck. Maybe this is your experience…




From the Deep South to Northern Rockies: Pt. 1, by GritsInMontana

…opted to go that route. There was a year’s lease – time for me to catch my breath and figure out what my next steps would be. It worked for us and became our adopted Slightly Cockeyed Cabin. Schools – The small town where we own property has a high school of less than 100 students and offers every major sport, plus 4-H, rodeo, yearbook, music, language, and other extra-curricular activities you’d find in a much larger school. The graduation rate hovers around 98% and approximately 95% of the kids go on to college. Private school tuition costs about $3K/year (versus $22K/year in my Southern locale). Homeschool programs are robust and homeschool families meet often. There are also many excellent colleges in the region, both public and private, as well. Initial Movers Remorse –Upon arrival, we got the animals settled and then decided to head to a local restaurant for…