Monsters, Mantras, and School-Bus-Sized Jellyfish

You’re reading The Ten AM, a Friday ritual for the parents who traded the fluorescent hum of the institution for the quiet steam of a French press. Every week, I’m serving up a 1-minute hit of curated finds and field notes to help you remember that you aren’t just 'staying home. You’re building a world. Because coziness is a form of resistance, much like the first cup of coffee before the house wakes up, or my recurring belief that I can solve any existential crisis with a new stack of linen notebooks and a very expensive candle, which usually results in me being 'organized' in spirit while my actual life remains a beautiful, unscripted work of art.

XO,

Kimberly

A shot of soul to start the day.

In a news cycle that can sometimes feel scary, this is the shot of motivation we all need, am I right?

Trading system rules for home truths.

In the traditional system, data is often driven by feedback from public school teachers rather than the individual child's pulse. And, when parent/teacher conference time rolls around (like they’re having locally here now), we’re conditioned to wait for, and often dread, the parent-teacher conference. It’s a high-pressure moment of wondering, "Are they doing enough?"

But in the homeschool world, a formal "look at this" isn't required. The real feedback comes during the "Did you know...?" conversations that naturally spark between bites of lunch. It’s the quiet victory of the math finally clicking while we’re still in our aloe socks.

We don’t need a scheduled appointment to see our children’s potential. We just need the resolution to let them be perfectly themselves.

Neighborly finds and homeschool favorites.

We wrapped up a Marine Biology unit in September, so when I saw this video pop up in my inbox, I had to watch. And to show it to my kids.

It’s a jellyfish the size of a schoolbus. It was first spotted off the coast of Argentina, but it’s exactly the type of ASMR we can use in homeschools around the world at 10 AM for a brain break, paired with continued learning.

Sightings of the classroom where it shouldn't be

This week’s sighting of the "classroom" where it shouldn't be: The Car Dealership.

While waiting for a service appointment, the waiting room became a hub of concentration. We tackled breakfast (on the house from the dealer, thank you very much), then a fun language arts workbook from Night Zookeeper* on the Olympics and a Valentine’s Day unit from Campfire Curriculums. While the Olympic unit was less about the history of the Olympics and the Valentine’s Day curriculum was less about making classroom mailboxes for an exchange, the boys had fun breaking from our usual setting and curriculum to do something on theme for the season.

Then, with math done at home and language arts done at the dealership, we headed straight to the archery range for some physics in motion to go along with our physics unit we’re doing now.

Every time we have uncaged days like these, I can’t help but think how lucky the boys are not to be trapped at a desk, and how lucky I am to live vicariously through them.

_{*Referral Link}

The science and data behind the art of homeschooling.

There is a profound psychological concept currently making waves in behavioral science: Mattering. Coincidentally, that’s also the name of the book by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. In it, she shares research suggesting that the key to thriving is a deep-seated belief that you are significant to others. That you are noticed, valued, and needed.

While a crowded classroom can often make a child feel like just another face in a sea of others, the rhythm of our homes provides the ultimate proof of their importance.

When we trade traditional school bells and schedules for the comfort of home, we are showing our children that they are the essential center of our world. This sense of mattering acts as a neurological safe harbor, shielding them from anxiety and creating the high-magic environment where deep learning actually sticks.

Low-friction, high-magic things to try today.

Sometimes the unscripted work of art we’re building feels a little more like an unscripted mess. When things get hard and the rhythm feels off, we need to reclaim our neurological safe harbor. If everything feels like too much today, try these five simple ways to calm your nervous system and lean back into the cozy:

A little something sweet for your weekend.

I stumbled upon this reel of US Olympic athletes sharing the mantras that keep them centered when the stakes are high, and the grit is real.

It’s a beautiful reminder that even the world’s most elite performers don’t rely on perfection to get through hard times. Whether your hard time is a Tuesday where the math just won't click or a morning where the quiet steam of the French press feels like a distant memory, these mantras are your permission slip to keep your flow. Our girl Clementine would definitely approve; she knows that riding into a beautiful life takes grit, grace, and a whole lot of love. And coffee. And dirt under our fingernails.

I’ll be back next Tuesday with my weekly letter from our homeschool to yours. Until then, I’m sending you all the cozy vibes to close out this week.

~ Kimberly