Whether you home educate your child permanently or are home schooling for a shorter period, creating a personal and inviting space will not only motivate your little one’s productivity and inspiration, but it will also keep your home looking good and in order too. From dedicated home school rooms to DIY desks bursting with creativity, check out these ridiculously cool home school ideas that score top marks.
Side-by-Side Seating
Gabrielle Kessler for Folio Photography
This kitchen office was designed for a mom who wanted a space she could share with her 12-year-old son. Key features include outlets for two computers, a cordless phone, and a single printer, undercabinet task lighting, and a dividing column of drawers to stow craft and office supplies. This arrangement makes a great cooperative learning area for homes with multiple students, too.
Walled-Off Study Station
Jean Allsop/ Southern Living
Throw up some wall frames and create built-in room dividers, like the ones shown here, in a larger rooms.
Sentence starters might seem like a small detail, but they truly form important part of compelling writing. They help you find your rhythm, guide your reader, and create seamless transitions between ideas. In short, they’re the keys to keeping your writing fluid and focused. Let’s break down why these small beginnings matter so much.
Why Are Sentence Starters Important?
A strong sentence starter can be the difference between captivating your audience and losing their attention. They bring rhythm, helping your writing flow naturally while guiding your reader along. Here’s why they play a crucial role:
They set expectations. Starting with intention gives your audience a preview of what’s coming, whether it’s an idea, a question, or a vivid description.
They help combat writer’s block. Sometimes, the hardest part is starting. A well-chosen sentence starter can spark creativity and break the barrier of hesitation.
They make transitions smoother. Great sentence starters guide readers through your thoughts without abrupt stops, making your writing feel cohesive and connected.
They anchor your voice. The way you start a sentence reflects your tone, personality, and purpose, keeping your writing consistent and authentic.
They keep the reader hooked. A strong opening to any sentence builds curiosity, setting the pace for a narrative, argument, or description.
Now that you know their importance, take a look at 4 categories of sentence starters that you can use to keep your ideas flowing.
Goodbye writers block. Use these words to keep your sentences flowing.
Do you live near Chicago or are planning to visit soon? Discover 6 nearby destinations to visit besides the Windy City. Check out this article by Adam Lapetina for Travel & Leisure.
Concrete and Heat
Cities can sometimes feel like endless stretches of concrete — especially in the hot summer months — and Chicago is no exception.
Fortunately, there’s a whole world out there beyond the city limits. There are so many worthy escapes within a few hours’ drive of Chi-town. Storybook towns studded with ice cream parlors, and lakeside cities with entirely different cultures. Also, places where you can connect with nature among waterfalls and lush trees. Waterfalls! Outside Chicago!
The Windy City’s location, in this case, is your ally. Pack your car with some picnic accoutrements, and some hiking gear just in case, and head off. You’re within driving distance of some truly great, out-of-the-ordinary places that make for wonderful road trips. Here are six of them.
The Road Trips
Madison, Wisconsin
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Imagine a state already known for its beer and cheese having to cater to over 30,000 college students. You’ve got some idea of the earthly delights that await in Madison, Wisconsin. This state capital could have been a destination in its own right for its unique geography. Besides located on a narrow isthmus surrounded by two large lakes, it’s beautiful even during cold Wisconsin winters. Add to that, a remarkable breadth of shopping, cultural events, festivals and architecture. But undoubtedly, its food scene is virtually unrivaled for a city of its size.
The streets are filled with an eclectic mix of professors, politicians, businesspeople, street performers, and health nuts. Accordingly, if you ask any of them for their favorite spot, you’ll likely get a range of answers as large as the city’s 250,000-plus population. Devour American small bites at the new and renowned Mint Mark, tacos and margaritas at Canteen, Lao Thai noodles from Vientiane Palace, and the list goes on and on.
Most students, however, will drive you toward craft-beer watering holes like The Malt House or Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry. Also known for serving one of the best burgers anywhere. Wash it down with some Wisconsin beer from New Glarus. And sample some fried cheese curds, and you’ll have yourself a real Madison, Wisconsin, night.
Madison is about two and a half hours from Chicago.
Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
TODD RYBURN/GETTY IMAGES
Yes, Illinois isn’t known for its natural beauty like some other states. Yes, its highest natural point is Charles Mound, a diminutive 1,235-foot hill. But that doesn’t mean that hidden gems don’t exist here. For a true escape from Chicago’s steel-and-stone skyscrapers that’s still within the state limits, drive to the area around Starved Rock State Park.
Visitors will be surprised to find an incredible valley around the Illinois River. Basically, lush trees, striking bluffs, and 14 gorgeous waterfalls feeding into the roaring waters. Starved Rock is a choice destination for camping, hiking, kayaking, and white-water rafting. Afterwards, tired from a day of physical exertion, you’ve got a place to hang your hat: the Starved Rock Lodge.
However, if you feel like experiencing a bit more local flavor, the towns around the river valley provide it in buckets. Tiny, charming Utica is home to the August Hill Winery and some wonderful antique stores. Whereas, the historic towns of Oglesby and Ottawa are chock-full of Americana. Small museums, galleries, and great food, particularly at the Red Dog Grill in Ottawa and The Rootbeer Stand in Oglesby.
Starved Rock State Park is about an hour and a half from Chicago.
Allegan County, Michigan
Lake Michigan is huge. And in the summertime, when the heat gets a little unbearable, you could easily just jump into the lake in Chicago. But there’s something to be said for taking a jaunt out to Michigan to visit a string of lakeside towns that bring some truly unique qualities to the mix.
Douglas, Saugatuck, and Holland — and Fennville, though it’s not right on the water — epitomize small-town charm, while still offering some truly city-sized amenities for city-sized appetites. Fennville is known as the fruit basket of Michigan, with apple orchards, vineyards, and berry farm’s alongside delightful creameries and even corn mazes, while Saugatuck and Douglas consistently take the cake as two of the best lakeside towns in the Midwest, with incredibly charming downtown areas, gorgeous undulating sand dunes, pristine blue water, and more art galleries than you can shake a stick at. In fact, it’s here that two School of the Art Institute of Chicago instructors founded their own art school and residence, Oxbow, establishing an artists’ colony right on the shores of Lake Michigan. Their legacy endures to this day.
Further up the road, you’ll find a truly unique destination in Holland, where Dutch colonists established a foothold in the 1800s, bringing with them their culture, architecture, pastries (check out DeBoer Bakkerij), and even fields’ worth of tulips, which you can find at Veldheer Tulip Gardens.
Fennville is about two hours from Chicago.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Among the many types of travelers out there — people who crave solitude, people who don’t want to leave the 100-foot radius of their resort’s pool — there are those who are fascinated by city life, jumping from one urban area to another. If you count yourself among them, a road trip from Chicago to Indianapolis is certainly warranted.
First off, it’s the 17th-largest city in America, with a vast population and penchant for festivals, parties, and overall pageantry (it is the Racing Capital of the World, after all, and its famous month of May includes tons of smaller celebrations leading up to the Indy 500). No matter the time of year, though, you’ll find Indianapolis in full swing, whether you’re in the midst of its rollicking IndyFringe Festival in August and September or its Wine & Food Festival in June. It’s also a museum hub, with the world’s largest children’s museum, several art museums with broad and granular focuses, and small museums focusing on its favorite children, from Vonnegut to President Benjamin Harrison.
But one of the main reasons visitors flock to Indianapolis is its incredible food scene, which has, in recent years, exploded into national prominence. Hot new restaurants like Bluebeard, Milktooth, Crispy Bird, Oca, and more have all contributed to its reputation as a gastronomical powerhouse, while iconic institutions like Workingman’s Friend have been, well, working behind the scenes to keep Hoosiers well-fed for decades. It’s about time their city gets noticed.
Indianapolis is about three hours from Chicago.
Traverse City, Michigan
If you’re craving a real getaway, you can’t do much better than northern Michigan — it’s still within driving distance of Chicago and not as remote as the state’s Upper Peninsula, while still providing a wilderness-tinged escape for city dwellers. The de-facto capital of the region, Traverse City, is a city in name, but its population of around 15,000 means it’s got small-town charm and accessibility, making it a perfect gateway to the region’s breathtaking sights. Stop in for a glass of beer or wine at one of the many famous wineries and brewpubs, like Mari Vineyards or Mackinaw Brewing Company, before heading into the wilderness.
From Traverse City’s quaint streets, you can head north and explore the Leelanau Peninsula, or veer west to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Better yet, take scenic M-22 to tick off both boxes. Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of the country’s best stretches of shoreline, with incredible dunes and westerly views that mean it’s got some of the best sunsets east of the Mississippi.
From there, mosey up M-22 to continue exploring the Leelanau Peninsula, where wilderness encroaches a bit further and small towns, each with a population under 1,000, dot the roads. Hike through the dense forests, pick apples and berries at the region’s many farms, and be sure to grab a heaping sandwich from the Village Cheese Shanty in the county seat of Leland (population 377).
Traverse City is about five hours from Chicago.
Galena, Illinois
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In rare cases, a road trip doesn’t just mean traveling great distances — it can also mean traveling back in time. That’s what’s figuratively the case when you drive west from Chicago to Galena, consistently rated as one of the best small towns in America. For decades, Galena has been on a mission to preserve its rich history, meaning it has one of the most unspoiled historic town centers in the country.
The town’s good fortune started back in the mid-1800s. It was the beneficiary of government grants to begin mining precious minerals located under the town. Since then, the town has focused on maintaining the buildings from that boom time. There are architectural landmarks around every corner. The Galena Historic District is a particular delight, comprising more than 1,000 buildings. The home of Ulysses S. Grant is a prime example of the Italianate style and now a dedicated memorial to his legacy. The town even has trolley tours that take you to its major historical and architectural benchmarks, contributing to its overall throwback feel.
Galena’s best eating institutions don’t necessarily date all the way back to 1850, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also great. Durty Gurt’s Burger Joynt was founded in 2007 and serves gigantic, almost architecturally impressive stacks of meat and cheese. Looks like everyone’s concerned with building a legacy here.
How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation, we’re learning how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and notice when the mind wanders from this task. This practice of returning to the breath builds the muscles of attention and mindfulness.
When we pay attention to our breath, we are learning how to return to, and remain in, the present moment—to anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgement.
The idea behind mindfulness seems simple—the practice takes patience. Indeed, renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg recounts that her first experience with meditation showed her how quickly the mind gets caught up in other tasks. “I thought, okay, what will it be, like, 800 breaths before my mind starts to wander? And to my absolute amazement, it was one breath, and I’d be gone,” says Salzberg.
While meditation isn’t a cure-all, it can certainly provide some much-needed space in your life. Sometimes, that’s all we need to make better choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And the most important tools you can bring with you to your meditation practice are a little patience, some kindness for yourself, and a comfortable place to sit.
When we meditate, we inject far-reaching and long-lasting benefits into our lives. And bonus: you don’t need any extra gear or an expensive membership.
Here are five reasons to meditate:
Understanding your pain
Lower your stress
Connect better
Improve focus
Reduce brain chatter
How to Meditate
Meditation is something everyone can do, here’s how.
Meditation is simpler (and harder) than most people think. Read these steps, make sure you’re somewhere where you can relax into this process, set a timer, and give it a shot:
1) Take a seat Find place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.
2) Set a time limit If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes.
3) Notice your body You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, you can kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.
4) Feel your breath Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.
5) Notice when your mind has wandered Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing that your mind has wandered—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—simply return your attention to the breath.
6) Be kind to your wandering mind Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back.
7) Close with kindness When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
That’s it! That’s the practice. You focus your attention, your mind wanders, you bring it back, and you try to do it as kindly as possible (as many times as you need to).
Do you consider yourself to an introvert, an extrovert, or a mix of the two called an ambivert. This article by Meghan Holohan explains that introverts can teach us all a lot about being more mindful and not over-sharing so much.
When it comes to personality, there are endless articles about extroverts’ amazing qualities and how people can best emulate extroverts. In some ways, it makes sense. Research shows that extroverts are happier, have loads of friends and feel supported. A recent paper even found that when introverts act like extroverts it boosts their moods.
Yet, introverts bristle at always being told to act like extroverts. That because introverts know that their lives are “rich and full and not the lack of something,” Laurie Helgoe, associate professor of behavioral sciences at the Ross School of Medicine, explained to TODAY.
People’s personalities exist on a continuum from introverted to extroverted with most being an ambivert — meaning their personalities fall somewhere between extroverted and introverted. Extroverts are outgoing, impulsive and bold, while introverts feel fulfilled through solitary activities and limited, meaningful social interactions.
Introverts have some distinct qualities that other people can learn from.
1. Introverts know when to say ‘no’.
There’s a misconception that introverts dislike being around others. In fact, they do enjoying spending time with friends and family, just not as much.
“It is not the case they never want to be with other people,” Soto said. Instead, “they need to do less … with their social life.”
This means that introverts are more likely to say “no” to joining the wine and painting girls’ night, attending the local music festival, party hopping or volunteering for every PTA event.
“Everybody can still be subjected to FOMO, but I think there is that advantage that introverts have that we find refuge in solitude,” said Helgoe, who wrote the book Introvert Power.
“There is so much outside social stimulation that tells us who we should be and how to spend our time. Introverts are better able to detract from those temptations and evaluate what I want and what works for me.”
2. Introverts don’t share everything.
Whether it’s at work, a party, a child’s soccer game or the grocery store, many have encountered that person who overshares.
“Extroverts are more at risk of doing that … just dumping things on people and disclosing too much information and not having a filter,” Christopher Soto, an associate professor of psychology at Colby College, told TODAY.
An introvert, on the other hand, provides relief.
3. Introverts won’t act recklessly.
It’s less likely that person in the ER after an e-scooter accident is an introvert, experts say. While some might think it’s lame, introverts aren’t into risky behaviors and that might mean they avoid accidental injuries — and unusual causes of death.
“Sky diving, fasting driving, risky leisure activities tend to be less appealing for introverts and that’s probably good for their health,” Soto said.
4. Introverts pause before speaking.
Extroverts love it when someone tells them they’re witty or smart or interesting, so they often jump into conversations as much as possible to get the high of the validation. Introverts don’t need that reinforcement as much and feel less compelled to speak to fill space. This means they’re less likely to say the wrong thing or offer knee-jerk response.
“That is a strength that introverts have. I will sit and think of what everyone is saying,” Hegloe said. “Extroverts could allow more time to consider their responses and polish them a little to be a little more mysterious or have a poker face and let people wonder what they are thinking.”
5. Introverts observe the world.
Being mindful can reduce stress and anxiety and improve health. Introverts often engage in reflection and observation, which feels similar to mindfulness, and allows them to experience the moment.
“A pastime that is underrated and misunderstood with extroverts is observation,” Helgoe said. “Observing like an artist observes, taking in images, noticing but that is from a position of solitude. Being in the world and not of the world.”
This attention helps introverts see the world in a different way, like “a work of art or story that enriches life.”
Put simply, an Empath is a person who absorbs other people’s emotions and experiences these emotions as if they were their own.
Empathic people are highly sensitive to the emotional climates around them and often take on the psychological baggage of other people. This often leads to chronic mental and physical sicknesses.
In a world full of fear, greed, cruelty, egotism, and immense pain, your sensitivity is an immense blessing.
12 Signs You’re an Empath
Common signs of being an empath include:
The tendency to soak up other’s emotions and even physical sensations, like a sponge
Strong intuitive abilities or claircognizance
Chaotic or fluctuating emotions
Moodiness
Intense sensitivity
Highly creative
Inability to watch violence
Tendency towards anxiety and addiction
Tendency to attract wounded people
Gentle and caring nature
Chronic fatigue + digestive issues
Drawn to healing professions
How many of these signs can you identify within this list?
How to Become a Healed and Empowered Empath
The key to becoming a healed and empowered Empath lies in working to developing an individuated identity, clear boundaries, and non-attachment/resistance to emotions. The first step in becoming a matured Empath is to learn how to ground yourself in your body firmly.
Examples of practices that all Empaths will find beneficial include:
Mindfulness
Meditation
Yoga
Qigong
Breathing practices
Progressive muscle relaxation
Body awareness
Any technique that can help you get out of your mind and into experiencing the present moment with non-judgment and non-resistance will help you as an Empath.
Why You Are a Gift to This World
In a world full of fear, greed, cruelty, egotism, and immense pain, your sensitivity is an immense blessing.
Your sensitivity is a gift this world desperately needs.
The ability to care deeply for others is something our world lacks to a severe degree. Your gift not only closes the gap between people, but it also opens the door to loving-kindness and other extrasensory abilities such as intuition.
Can you imagine what the world would be like if we were all sensitive, caring, and receptive to each other? We would be living in paradise.
So, honor this experience of being an Empath for the great lessons and opportunities it presents you with.
Halloween has evolved over the years to become one of America’s best holiday.
There are cool costumes, tons of candy, decorations, haunted houses and the best part is that everything is optional. Between this, and the fact that it takes place during the coziest time of year, Halloween really can’t be beat.
Yes, let’s talk because Halloween is only weeks away! Black cat got your tongue? No worries. Below you will find questions to ask that will put you and a friend into a very scary Halloween mood. Questions like, “What kind of candy is your favorite?” Did I hear you say KitKat Bar?
The IRS is rolling out its pilot of a free direct tax filing program.
Taxpayers across 13 states might be eligible to try out the new program.
It’s part of the IRS’s continued efforts to make tax filing simpler and more cost-effective.
The IRS is rolling out its own free direct tax filing pilot program — and some taxpayers will be able to use it as soon as the 2024 tax filing season.
These are the states where eligible taxpayers could be able to use the pilot program in 2024:
Arizona
California
Massachusetts
New York
Alaska
Florida
New Hampshire
Nevada
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
Wyoming
Even in those states, eligible taxpayers will likely need to have fairly straightforward filing situations. Exact eligibility has not been determined yet, but the IRS anticipates that filers who report W-2 wages, or claim credits like the Child Tax Credit, will likely be eligible.
For instance, people reporting W-2 income, Social Security or unemployment benefits, or interest of $1,500 or under will likely be eligible.
Similarly, those claiming credits like the CTC and Earned Income Tax Credit should also likely be covered — and those with a standard deduction, alongside student loan interest and educator expenses, should also likely be able to participate.
Of course, the program is only a limited pilot. IRS Commissioner Werfel said in a press release that it does bring the US closer to the Treasury Department’s goal of making filing faster, easier, and inexpensive.
The IRS said that the online program will be an interview-based program available in Spanish and English, and mobile friendly — key aspects for lower-income filers, who have historically found themselves shut out of potential credits due to not having access to desktop computers.
Rick Heineman, a VP of communications at Intuit TurboTax, said in a statement to Insider that Direct File is “wholly redundant and will be of zero value to the vast majority of taxpayers.”
The Treasury has not yet provided a web address to access the program.
