Newsletter #364
Achievement Tests: Help Your Child Get His Best Score! Includes: 3 Ways To Prepare Your Child for a Test and 7 Test-Taking Skills To Teach Your Child, plus much more.

Newsletter #363
10 Ways To Get the Most from Homeschool Events with Links to 2013 State Conventions

Newsletter #362
Character Development with Links to Freebies (Unit Studies, e-Books, and Activities)

Kim Komando, expert on consumer electronics, computers, and the Internet, has identified, tested, and verified free alternatives to expensive software, including the following:

 •  Microsoft Office alternative with PowerPoint, Word and Excel – use the free productivity suite LibreOffice with Writer, Calc and Impress.

    Another version of LibreOffice, made specifically for businesses, has fewer features but more consistent performance and security features.

 •  Adobe alternatives:
Photoshop – use GIMP
Use Inkscape for vector illustration
Use Lightworks for video editing
Use NitroPDF for PDF creation.

 •  Dreamweaver – use KompoZer, a full-featured Web editor.

 •  QuickBooks – use GnuCash, a personal and small-business financial- accounting software.

    GnuCash also has an app available for Android to manage your accounts on the go.

 •  Maya – use Blender, an open-source, 3-D graphics program with professional- quality features.

 •  Spring clean and revive your PC. Cleaning and de-cluttering your PC is easy to do and doesn't take much time. It'll prolong the life of your machine and help you get more work done faster.

 •  Test the strength of your password and get tips on how to make it stronger, such as adding a number or symbol.

 •  Subscribe to Kim Komando's free email Newsletters to get more tips and downloads.

The Romeikes, a German homeschooling family represented by Home School Legal Defense Association, are seeking permanent legal asylum in the United States because Germany persecutes homeschoolers with fines, criminal prosecution, and forcible removal of children from their families.

HSLDA launched a petition on the White House website asking that the Obama administration grant permanent legal status to the Romeikes family. The goal of 100,000 signatures has been reached and exceeded. You can still sign the petition, view video, and read update at hslda.org

"Please pray for us as we prepare for the hearing on April 23 in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit," HSLDA Chairman Mike Farris writes. "The more I prepare, the more I am convinced of the rightness of this case."

HSLDA Director of Federal Relations Will Estrada strongly refuted MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry's recent assertion that children belong to the community, not the family. "Nothing could be further from the truth," Estrada said.

"Children are given by God to parents and to families to be loved, to be raised and to be prepared to go on to become leaders in their community," Estrada said. "It doesn't take a village to raise a child. It takes parents – loving parents in a home – to raise a child."

View videos and read more at hslda.org.

Do you like Special Offers, saving money, and learning about new and useful resources for your homeschool?

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Do you ever catch yourself saying "just a minute" to one child while you work with another? Ideally I want to say something concrete like, "As soon as Lars has finished this math problem."

But I found out how often I abuse that phrase "just a minute" when Justus, who was just learning two-digit numbers, asked me how long a minute was.

"Sixty seconds," I replied.

"Sixty!" exclaimed Justus incredulously. "No wonder it takes so long!"

Submitted by Lydia C., Maryland.

Send your humorous anecdote to [email protected].

1.  God loves you.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

2.  Man is separated from God by sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)  For the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23)

3.  The death of Jesus Christ in our place is God's only provision for man's sin.

He (Jesus Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

4.  We must personally receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Eph. 2:8, 9)

Immerse your family in God's truth through systematic reading and study of God's Word.

Listen to the Bible Online.  Choose from six English versions (plus Spanish and other languages) at BibleGateway.com/Audio.

Listen to beautiful traditional, sacred, and inspirational conservative Christian music (commercial free!) when you tune in to these online stations:

 •  Abiding Radio.  Choose from four stations: vocal, instrumental, kids, and seasonal (Christmas). Information for listening on many different devices.

 •  Old Christian Radio

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The end of the traditional school year is near.  You might:

 •  Run out of steam and just "peter out."

 •  Explode in a frenzy of "gotta get this all done, or die trying!"

 •  Or you can finish strong – whether or not you will be able to accomplish all you had intended this year.

We hope some of the ideas in this newsletter will help you reevaluate (if necessary) and plan a strong finish!

Don't stop reading if you are on schedule and have smooth sailing to the end of your school year. If you look around a bit, you are sure to be able to use these ideas to help someone else.

But what do you do if your school year is almost done – but your studies are not?

 •  Do not panic, feel guilty, or envy those who are on schedule.

Maybe you aimed too high, and less than your dream is acceptable and adequate. Most professional educators do not finish all their lesson plans and books.

 •  Do not try to cram everything that is left into the last few weeks; that will only produce unbearable stress, not the love of learning.

 •  Talk to the Lord and your husband. Lay out the situation and possible solutions and ask for guidance and help.

 •  Write out a "Strong Finish" plan for the next six weeks, or whenever you plan to finish school.

Check your priorities and make any necessary course corrections in order to reach your most important goals.

 •  Like the pioneers tossing out their heavy furniture in order to cross the mountains, eliminate everything that is not essential.

Just a few minutes, or a couple of hours, of planning can help your family make a strong and joyful finish!

May the Lord richly bless your family for His glory.