2008 Homeschool Blog Awards Categories...

The 2008 Homeschool Blog awards are nearly here. Nominations begin next Monday on the 13th! That is only one week away - just enough time for you to jot down some notes about your favorite bloggers as you visit them this week. It takes some time to sort out 24 different favorites that fit into neat categories. Don't wait until the 13th and be in a rush!

Here are the categories that were posted on the Homeschool Post for this year...

2008 Homeschool Blog Award Categories:

1. Best Homeschool Mom Blog
Everyone is the best homeschool mom for their own children. With thousands of homeschool bloggers out there, please know that there will only be one winner online – but EACH OF US are winners in our own homes. If there’s a blogging mom out there that has been a particularly good example to you and you want to let her know… consider her for this nomination! [Her blog does not have to be exclusively about motherhood or homeschooling.]

2. Best Homeschool Dad Blog
We love to hear what dad has to say. Especially if he includes homeschool posts off and on. [Blog doesn’t have to be exclusively about homeschooling.]

3. Best Blog Design
Here’s your chance to nominate your favorite blog design and give your favorite blogger a pat on the back for her talent (or give her web designer some credit!).

4. Best Artistic Content Blog
This blogger has an eye-catching and interesting variety of graphics and photos in posts and in the general design that you enjoy. We want to thank those of you who post pictures and graphics that inspire us!

5. Best Crafts, Plans & Projects Blog
Do you turn to the blogosphere for a steady supply of great craft ideas, lesson plans or projects that you can do with your homeschoolers? Why not share your favorite blogs that provide them with all of us and give that person some recognition?

6. Best Family or Group Blog
Nominate your favorite Homeschool Family blog or your favorite group blog that is either run by Homeschoolers or discusses homeschool issues. [Blog doesn’t have to be exclusively about homeschooling.]

7. Best Encourager
It is time to say thanks to those bloggers out there who lift you up out of the homeschool “blahs” and help you get back on track. The winner of this category doesn’t have to be perfect or always in a good mood… just someone who makes you feel as if someone else cares and has a positive attitude overall.

8. ‘Live-What-You-Believe’ Homeschool Blog
A large percentage of homeschoolers are Christians, but this doesn’t have to mean Christianity only. Other religions or even strictly secular homeschool blogs can be nominated here. The person just has to do a good job marrying their faith (or lack of it) with their posts on homeschooling… uplifting others to walk in faith (or lack of it) and blessing others who adhere to that faith (or lack of it). I for one am thankful that we live in a land that is FREE to worship (or not) any way we see fit… and to homeschool our kids accordingly.

9. Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling Blog
This blogger should have a great variety of ideas and encouragement for those who homeschool to the beat of their own drum.

10. Best Geographical Blog
In 2005, we had separate categories for International and Canada. I felt that was a bit unfair. This time, we are including a category for ANY geographical place that you find interesting. If you are interested in a blog in Russia, Romania, Canada, Turkey, New Zealand, Texas or Washington D.C. – and your favorite blogger from that area talks a bit about that place in-between homeschool posts, PLEASE let us know! Be sure to let us know when you nominate the Best Geographical Blog that you TELL us WHERE the place is!

11. Best Current Events, Opinions or Politics Blog
We don’t want a strictly political blog that is run by a homeschooler unless quite a few posts have relevant information pertaining to homeschooling. News clips that affect our freedoms as homeschoolers and how homeschooling is portrayed in the media are ideal. We love to hear what other homeschool teachers are thinking and reading and their views on things that affect us all. [This blog does not have to be exclusively about homeschooling, current events, or politics… just a blog that often shares opinions on matters that you enjoy learning from.]

12. Best Homemaking or Recipes Blog
This blog should have content regarding homemaking, housekeeping, tips, ideas for making your life easier, information about raising multiple kids, or recipes that you enjoy trying. [This person should be a homeschooler but the blog doesn’t have to be exclusively about homeschooling, homemaking or recipes.]

13, 14, 15. Best Teen Girl Blog, Teen Guy Blog, Teen Group Blog
Let’s encourage those young bloggers to speak up and be a good example for their peers. I have seen so many wonderful teen blogs out there that deserve recognition. Let us know what some of your favorites are! Teen blogs can be any blogs run by teens who are at least 12 years of age. The winners will have to submit permission slips signed by their parents - see legal page at HSBA for more details. [This blog does not have to be exclusively about homeschooling, but homeschooling should be mentioned often or it should be obvious from the template that the teen is a homeschooler.]

16. Funniest Homeschool Blog
We all need a laugh in-between laundry, lesson plans and loosing our cool. It is nice to get your smile back so you can share it with your students (who can only take “so much gloom” as Ma Walton said so eloquently on Little House on the Prairie). Nominate your favorite crack-pot or crack-up homeschool blog here.

17. Best Cyber-Buddy Blogger
A blogger that you haven’t met, but you think you would enjoy meeting and hanging out with. She/he is a person that you would love to co-op with or live next door to. Who knows, maybe one day we will get together somewhere at one of these bloggy meetings I hear about. I’m so jealous!

18. Best Curriculum or Business Blog
Let us know your favorite homeschool business or curriculum blogs so we can read them, too!

19. Best Variety
This blogger is one that could fit in any of these categories … but they just can’t be pinned down in ONE. This type of blogger is the ADD hyper-focused type… always moving on from one thing to the next… and always keeping you interested in coming back for more!

20. Best Thrifty Homeschooler
Most of us are homeschooling on a shoe-string. Nominate your favorite money-saving blogger so you can share her tips with the blogosphere and bless a bunch of homeschool children in the process! [Blog doesn't have to be exclusively about frugality.]

21. Best SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER
Ever feel like a looser after reading someone else’s lesson plans, seeing their field trip photos, listening to them talk about what they got done today, or seeing pictures of their children’s accomplishments? You were probably feeling the effects of visiting a SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER’s blog. These are the A-list homeschool parents that just BLOW YOU AWAY with their enthusiasm. We all have our good days, but this blogger has us all beat.

22. Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool Blog
Since we included a category for the Super-Homeschooler… I figured we would add one in for the homeschooler who is brutally honest and open about her mistakes and failures. These are the moms that make you feel better and let you know that it is OK that we aren’t perfect. What would we do without them???

23. Best NEW Homeschool Blog
It is hard making a name for yourself in the blogosphere. A lot of times, you feel as if you are writing and no one is out there. If you have stumbled upon a great new blogger who has a lot of potential and you want to share them with the rest of us… please consider nominating them for this category!

24. *new!* Best Homeschooling Methods Blog
Not everyone is an eclectic or unschooling homeschooler. It is time to give credit to all those other great methods out there. We hope that you will nominate someone in this category that helps you better understand and implement whatever method of homeschooling you follow. No eclectic or unschooling blogs will be considered for this award since they each have their own category already!

I'm looking forward to finding some new blogging hang-outs this year after the nominees start rolling in! Be sure to thank all the ladies who are listed in the sidebar at the HSBA who offer their time and energy to make this possible each year. They do so knowing that their blogs are not going to win any awards (even though they are excellent bloggers in their own merit). I hope that we can afford to buy them all a Starbucks card at the end of the year if we earn money from advertising on the site. You can donate to the cause as well - just stop by any of their blogs and tip them if they have a tip jar - or purchase products using their links if they are affiliates! Or just tell them they are great! It is a little way to say, "We appreciate your generosity and dedication!" I love my team at the HSBA. I hope you do, too!


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