Homeschooling Advice ….and wisdom too!
You’ve decided to homeschool – CONGRATS! You’re about to embark on a wonderful family adventure. Because we want you to succeed, we’d like to give you a little behind the scenes homeschooling advice from some veteran homeschoolers.
Homeschooling Advice: TRUST YOURSELF – YOU’VE GOT THIS
Don’t doubt yourself. Homeschooling is not as hard as some people would lead you to believe.
The first year is the experiment year. You and your child will learn what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll both be better for it. Trust the process. The best way to learn how to homeschool is to homeschool.
Make a list of all the reasons you’re homeschooling. On a tough day (and there will be tough days), refer back to your list. Remember all the great reasons you’ve chosen to homeschool. Then continue on…because as mentioned previously, you’ve got this!
Homeschooling Advice: LET YOUR KIDS LEARN AT THEIR OWN PACE AND IN THEIR OWN WAY
Listen to your children and go at their space. Don’t compare your children to any other children (it’s a hard habit to break, because the public school system does it constantly, and that’s probably the system you grew up in).
You don’t have to teach by the book, and you don’t have to focus on paper lessons. Learning goes beyond books and pencils.
Your children don’t have to learn everything. Kids in public school don’t learn everything – frequently, they don’t finish a textbook before moving onto the next grade.
Pushing too much will make your children dislike learning, and they will learn less rather than more.
Homeschooling Advice: THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO HOMESCHOOL
There is no one “right” way to homeschool, and how you homeschool will change as your children grow, and as you get to know what works and what doesn’t work in your homeschool.
Even though there is no “right” way to homeschool, try not to do “school at home.”
Teach your kids how to learn, instead of focusing on rote memorization that is often stressed in public school.
Try lots of different things. Don’t feel pressure to commit to any one curriculum or style.
You don’t have to do 4.5 hours of work a day, and you don’t have to complete every subject every day.
You’re in charge of your own schedule. Plan it how you want/need. Add in extra/flex days. Take the time to find what works for you and your family.
Homeschooling Advice: IN CONCLUSION
Enjoy the experience. Let the joy of homeschooling carry you through the difficult days.
You will learn so much alongside your children!
Your family will grow closer to one another.
As the saying goes – The days are long but the years are short. Before you know it, it will be over, and you’ll be wishing you could start all over again!
If you’re considering homeschooling, here are some additional articles that might be of interest:
Time to Get Your Kids On Board
