Tis the season for homeschool shopping. I find myself reminding parents to actually picture their child using a product before making a purchase. For example, is the look of a page appealing? For anyone with ADD or a learning disability, what most consider normal print on a page usually seems too small and crowded, leaving him overwhelmed before he even begins. For anyone looking at math programs, I suggest not only checking the look of a page, but also noting the pace. How quickly do they expect the student to understand a concept or to memorize facts? Is the pace a match or will your child be either bored or frustrated?

Parents often question vendors, believing they have expertise. However, many vendors are just salesman—company reps that haven’t taught and just know the basics about the product. Other vendors may have used what they sell with their own kids and can share their testimony, but that isn’t the same as expertise in the different ways kids learn. For that reason, I always hope parents will use my books to help them make adjustments to anything they purchase—shaping the resources to their own situation. Since I’ll be at two more conventions this season, I’d like to invite anyone attending to stop by the Design-A-Study booth for a free consultation. If I’m familiar with any of the products you are considering, I’ll be happy to help you decide if they’ll be a match for your child.