Finding Your Fall Rhythm
A Kindly, Cottonwood Blog Post – September Edition While our official school year began in August, September often feels like the moment when everything truly picks up speed. Assignments are flowing, programs are launching, routines are being tested (and re-tested),...
First Day of School Thoughts
Today marks the first page of this year’s story, one filled with possibility, growth, and memories yet to be made. Whether this is your first year homeschooling or your tenth, that “first day” feeling never really goes away. This week, take a moment to pause and savor...
A Gentle Start to the New School Year
We can hardly believe it! The first official day of the 2025–26 school year is just around the corner, August 14, to be exact, but summer isn’t quite over yet. There’s still time for late-morning pancakes, backyard adventures, afternoon swims, and the kind of slow...
Planning, Prepping, and Dreaming Ahead
Dear Cottonwood Families, It’s that time of summer when we start to feel the quiet pull toward fall. The notebooks and planners begin to appear on tables, Pinterest boards fill with new ideas, and we catch ourselves daydreaming about fresh starts. One of my favorite...
Freedom to Explore
Dear Cottonwood Families, One of the greatest gifts of homeschooling is the freedom to explore, to wander, and to follow curiosity wherever it leads. July invites us to step fully into this gift. The longer days and lighter schedules create space for spontaneous...
Summer Learning – Your Way
Dear Cottonwood Families, We’re halfway through June, and summer is stretching out in all its sun-drenched, slow-paced glory. If you’re anything like me, you may find yourself caught between savoring the freedom and wondering whether your kids are “doing enough.” Let...
Starting Summer with Intention
Dear Cottonwood Families, Summer has officially arrived, and while our newsletters take on a lighter rhythm in these warmer months, “Kindly, Kara” will still be here every other week with gentle encouragement, helpful tips, and fresh ideas to support your homeschool...
The Final Week
As we are half way through the last official week of the school year, I find myself filled with gratitude for everything we’ve built together over the past ten months. From the very first park days of August to the incredible momentum of virtual classes, HST meetings,...
Fresh Starts & Familiar Faces
There’s something about May that carries two energies at once. We experience an eagerness for the finish line and a tug toward what’s next. In these final weeks of school, we find ourselves doing both: wrapping up what’s been, while gently reaching for what’s ahead....