The Wired Homeschool

A total solar eclipse that will traverse North America is quickly approaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a phenomenon you and your kids will talk about for years. Please note: This podcast episode is from 2017 but I have updated this blog post for the upcoming solar eclipse in 2024.

The best way to see the eclipse in 2024 is to be somewhere along the path of totality that goes from Mexico to Maine. Even if you’re outside this area, you’ll still be treated to a sight unparalleled in all of nature.

Think about it: the moon will pass between the earth and the sun and darkness will engulf you. The stars will be visible at midday!

See the Eclipse in Person

The best way to view the eclipse is to be there in person. For many people in the United States, you can drive 4-6 hours and be along the path of totality.

If you live along that path, or you plan to travel, here are a few tips:

1. Plan Ahead

Don’t wait until the last minute to make plans. Travel will be difficult as the date approaches, especially around major metropolitan areas.

If you want to use this as an opportunity to teach your kids about astronomy, find some books or videos to share with them. You might want to start with my blog post Best Resources for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.

2. Be Safe

Whether it’s while traveling or when viewing the eclipse, safety is important. Animals freak out when an eclipse occurs so if you’re in a rural area watch out for strange behavior.

Don’t plan to drive too far on the day of the eclipse. If you need to travel that day be conscious of the fact that many people will be trying to do the same thing.

Make sure you have protective eyewear for viewing the eclipse. DO NOT look directly at the sun until it’s totally covered! Once the sun is covered, you can remove your glasses for naked eye observation.

3. Be Courteous

I recommend that you and your family observe the event alone. If you plan to go to a viewing party be aware of the people around you. Don’t block a person’s view.

If someone has a telescope, DO NOT just walk up and use it. Don’t even touch it without permission. Professional and amateur astronomers are kind and helpful people but touching their equipment without permission is a no-no.

Where to Watch Online

Ideally, you want to see the eclipse in person. However, work requirements, family situations, and other situations out of your control may prevent that.

If you live anywhere in the lower 48 states, you’ll be able to see a partial eclipse. The same safety rules apply when viewing the eclipse. At no point during a partial eclipse is it safe for you to remove protective eyewear.

If it’s cloudy where you are or you live in Alaska or Hawaii or you want to watch the eclipse from overseas I recommend checking out the NASA Live Stream or the SLOOH Live Stream.

Both of these sites will have excellent programming leading up to and on the day of the eclipse. Again, it’s not the best option but it’s better than nothing.

If you’re new to the podcast, you might be wondering why I haven’t released an episode. If you’ve been around here for a long time you may want to know what’s going on.

If you want to keep up with me on social media (not the blog/podcast) you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Are you planning to give your child a smartphone, tablet, or console this holiday season? Before you wrap it (if you haven’t already) consider doing a few things first.

Set Expectations

The number one piece of advice I give parents when buying their child a device is to set expectations. You need to decide what kind of restrictions you’ll put in place and how you want it to be used. Will you limit how often and how long they’re allowed to use it? Will you limit the types of games they’re allowed to play? All of these things should be thought about before you give them the device so you can set their expectations after they receive it.

Device Controls

Nearly every electronic device comes with some form of parental controls. I’ve advocated for them for over 10 years and companies are finally making it easier for parents to manage how, when, and how long their children use their devices.

Screen Time (iOS) – Apple has always had a walled garden so you’ll either need to manage your child’s device directly or use another iOS device. Screen Time has great controls and works well with Family Sharing.

Family Link (Android) If you got your child any smartphone besides an iPhone you most-likely will use Family Link to manage parental controls. Fortunately, they have an iOS app too.

Amazon FreeTime Fire tablets, TVs, and even Alexa-enable devices can be managed with Amazon’s FreeTime. In my experience, Amazon has the weakest controls.

Consoles: The Nintendo Switch and XBox both have dedicated apps that you can use to manage parental controls on their consoles. Sony’s Playstation requires you to use a browser or its general Playstation app.

Network Controls

For whole-house Internet controls you can turn to your router or a secondary device. If you’re using the router your Internet provider installed, check with them for information on parental controls. I suggest either a second router for the kids or Circle by Disney.

Circle Home Plus – The Circle Home Plus device connects with your router to manage every Internet-connected device on your home network.

Home Router – Every home router these days has some level of parental controls. Check your manufacturer’s website for instructions to configure those settings.

Software and Apps

No solution will fully protect you and your children so if you need to take a belt and suspenders approach I recommend installing an app on their device for additional monitoring.

Covenant Eyes – I’ve been an advocate (and affiliate) for Covenant Eyes for over a decade. They’re the gold-standard when it comes to monitoring and filtering.

Accountable2You – If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, Accountable2You has got you covered. It occasionally triggers false alarms but I’ve still found it to be a useful tool.

One of the most difficult things for new homeschoolers, and even some experienced homeschoolers, is finding community resources that are friendly to homeschoolers.

MySchool is a community-driven resource that connects parents to homeschool spots (like museums, co-ops, and nature centers). It’s like an Airbnb for home education.

Justin Shell started MySchool after he and his wife started homeschooling and were looking for locations and activities for their children.

Homeschooling families are encouraged to sign up for MySchool and add “spots” that other homeschooling families could use for learning and social activities.

You can follow MySchool on Twitter, join the Facebook group, or sign-up for their newsletter when you register to keep up-to-date on all their latest developments.