title: My Kids Made Me Do It: Lessons in Creating a Unique and Joyful Homeschool
author: Therese Melendez Barnes
description: Therese Melendez Barnes was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in journalism, she married her college sweetheart, raised, and homeschooled their two boys who are now in college. She continues to run a large homeschool support network in her city and offers advice and encouragement to parents about homeschooling. This is her first nonfiction book.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![images](images/Frontcover.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![images](images/titlepage.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  TAN Books  
  Charlotte, North Carolina  
  [www.TANBooks.com](http://www.TANBooks.com)  
  2014
  
  
  ## CONTENTS
  
  
  [Author’s Note](03_authornote.xhtml#h2)
  
  
  [1\. Homeschooling](05_chapter01.xhtml#h3)
  
  
  [2\. Why Homeschool?](06_chapter02.xhtml#h4)
  
  
  [3\. The Vocation to Homeschool](07_chapter03.xhtml#h5)
  
  
  [4\. Burnout](08_chapter04.xhtml#h6)
  
  
  [5\. A Learning Environment](09_chapter05.xhtml#h7)
  
  
  [6\. To Grade or Not to Grade](10_chapter06.xhtml#h8)
  
  
  [7\. Teaching Our Children to Think](11_chapter07.xhtml#h9)
  
  
  [8\. Making Learning Fun](12_chapter08.xhtml#h10)
  
  
  [9\. Teaching the Basics](13_chapter09.xhtml#h11)
  
  
  [10\. Confidence](14_chapter10.xhtml#h12)
  
  
  [11\. Comparisons](15_chapter11.xhtml#h13)
  
  
  [12\. Humility and Patience](16_chapter12.xhtml#h14)
  
  
  [13\. Teaching a Child to Read](17_chapter13.xhtml#h15)
  
  
  [14\. Teaching a Child to Write](18_chapter14.xhtml#h16)
  
  
  [15\. De-schooling](19_cha