Whatever your reasons to homeschool are, I encourage you to follow through and start now. It’s not too late or too early to take control of your child’s education.
We are called to be more than parents to our children. It’s also our responsibility to be our child’s primary influence and first teacher.
It’s already tough enough to feel like our morals or values may be challenged by peers, media, culture, and more.
What greater alternative do you have besides placing your child in another environment for 7-8 hours where you have very little to no control over what’s taught, who’s hired, and what influences will be forced upon your child.
Homeschooling is your answer.
Some parents choose to homeschool because they don’t want academic labels placed on their children. That was me.
Some parents homeschool because they know no teacher will ever be as invested in their education as they are. That was me too.
And some parents, simply want the best for their children. Yes, that was me also.
No matter what your reasons for homeschooling are, even if you can’t quite articulate them perfectly deciding to homeschool is one of the best parenting decisions you can make.
let’s clarify a few misunderstandings about homeschooling such as:
- Why you don’t have to fear homeschool
- Feeling qualified to homeschool
- Affording to homeschool
- Choosing curriculum
- And creating a homeschool schedule
Table of Contents
YOU DON’T HAVE TO FEAR HOMESCHOOL
There is a huge misconception that homeschooling will produce socially awkward or un-socialized children but that is far from true.
Homeschooling allows you to provide plenty of opportunities for your child to socialize. The difference is you are better able to control the environment in which it happens. As a parent, you can select environments that are healthy and nurturing to your child. You can also allow your child to socialize in settings where he can best thrive and flourish instead of having his self-esteem chipped away.
You can create healthy spaces for your child.
Some may call it “overprotective” or “sheltering” but, I call it loving your child and wanting the best for them.
It’s funny that we are expected to protect things like our homes, vehicles, or other tangible assets; but we’re almost criticized for wanting to protect our children.
Aren’t our children much more valuable than things?
Nonetheless, there are usually plenty of homeschool co-ops, meet-ups, and other socializing events for homeschooling children in every state.
IF YOU CAN PARENT YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL
This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect at either one.
Let me tell you upfront in your homeschool you will make mistakes, need to adjust, and sometimes totally revamp your entire homeschool schedule as your children grow and life events happen. There, I said the one thing that many parents fear.
You will make mistakes. But, that doesn’t mean you are not good enough to homeschool.
After homeschooling for 7 years I have plenty of mistakes I’ve made in my homeschool. But, just like anything in life. You just get better with practice.
To be completely honest, most of my mistakes came from trying so hard to do at home what was done in the classroom.
I feared my children would be ruined if I did not recreate the classroom at home.
To make matters worse, I somehow allowed limiting beliefs to make me think a teacher would do a better job because they are qualified with a degree.
Once I was able to change my mental perception of what homeschooling truly was that’s when things got a lot smoother.
The same mindset it takes to parent your child with the underlying foundation of wanting to love, nurture, provide for, train, and give wonderful experiences for your child is the same mindset needed to homeschool.
As parents, we are confident in parenting or getting the parenting help we need in areas we are lacking in. Sure, we have our moments. But, we somehow find what we need to keep going.
But oftentimes, new homeschooling parents find themselves underestimating their abilities to homeschool their children.
They spend too much time debating over curriculum and philosophies that sometimes bring them to a point of settling and believing that the teachers at school will do a better job.
The most important aspect is almost forgotten about…the child. You are the expert on your child. You’ve spent millions of minutes and hours studying, observing, and understanding your child. No one knows your child better than you!
Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you feel more confident if you are new to homeschooling:
- Identify what your family goals and homeschool priorities are first.
- Consider your child’s learning style. Is he a more visual learner? A more auditory learner? Is he more independent? Does he need more of your involvement with each step? Is his attention span short or long?
- Create a schedule and choose a curriculum that best supports your family’s beliefs and your child.
GET STARTED TODAY
Many homeschoolers will tell you when they decided to homeschool, they just knew it was the right thing to do. And if you are reading this, more than likely you know homeschooling is the right decision for your child.
I want to encourage you to no longer ignore those feelings and take the necessary steps to get started in your homeschool.
One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling your child is that you will be able to create a unique, made to fit your child’s learning experience. You don’t have to try and force your child to conform to any one particular curriculum or philosophy. Instead, you can plan trips and gather materials that support your homeschool plans.
There are legal steps you need to take to make sure you are meeting all the homeschool requirements. – Don’t skip this process.
If your child is enrolled in the public school system start by seeking the proper and legal process for dis-enrolling your child. No, they can not just stop attending school.
Your school administrators or board of education department should be able to guide you in the right direction.
GET EXCITED ABOUT YOUR REASONS TO HOMESCHOOL!
You are about to give your child one of the best gifts a parent could dream of. You are giving your child the freedom and flexibility to reach their full, God-given potential.
You are giving your children permission and space to discover their strengths, talents, and abilities while being surrounded by the people who love them the most.
As you think about your family’s goals and priorities, get excited that you will be able to spend all day infusing your child with the truth of what’s possible in life.
How satisfying it is knowing that you will be able to work one on one with your child, and take extra time if needed to watch the learning process your child will experience from start to finish.
You get to encourage and build academic confidence in your child during their self-doubting moments. You will be the one reminding them of their abilities and teaching them how to overcome.
How beautiful your homeschool experience can truly be!
And as parents, you get to reap the benefits of learning and exploring alongside your child.
Homeschooling is one area I am most passionate about and wish I knew then what I know now. The good thing is, it’s never too late to course-correct.
I am hopeful and thrilled that you will follow your heart and decide to homeschool your child.
Whatever sacrifice and life adjustments are needed to create the homeschool you desire for your child is far and above worth it!
A FEW COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING:
Can I afford to homeschool?
The short answer is yes. Remember, homeschooling is exactly like parenting. You can be as creative and budget-friendly or as extravagant as you’d like and can afford to. The materials and resources you need can be brought new, handmade, used, or even free. Don’t let money be the reason you choose not to homeschool. And, don’t let people make you think there are tons of expensive materials you have to have.
What curriculum should I use?
If anyone gives you that answer without understanding what’s important to your family is leading you in the wrong direction. Too many times, I see hundreds of homeschooling parents choose a curriculum simply because someone suggested it because it worked for their family. This can be a very wasteful and expensive mistake. Before you choose a curriculum you have to know what goals you are aiming for in your homeschool first, before randomly choosing a curriculum.
What should my homeschool schedule look like?
First and foremost, homeschooling should not consume your entire day. Let’s face it, we still have other work, household tasks, and family members that require our attention. In my personal experience if we finish homeschooling by 2:00 pm I consider that a late day. Typically, we are done with formal learning by noon or very close thereafter.
As always, your schedule should reflect your family’s priorities.
How can I homeschool with multiple aged children?
This can totally be done. I’ve homeschooled high-schoolers, elementary, toddler, and exclusively breastfed babies all at the same time. Here are a few strategies that have made this possible.
For older children, you have to teach them how to work independently for longer periods and have an ownership mentality about their assignments. For younger children, I keep a stash of activities that are only for homeschool learning time to keep them fresh and engaging for longer periods as I work with older children.
A homeschool schedule that helps your children know what’s expected will help prevent constant questions about what’s next.
For homeschooling with babies, I mastered using my favorite baby wrap, The Moby Wrap, and stayed consistent to allow my baby to nurse on demand. At the time of this post, my youngest is 2 (27 months to be exact) and he is still nursing.
My son was able to still attend tutoring as needed. My toddler attends classes at My Gym and we participate in a local co-op near us.
With the proper planning, you can homeschool multiple-aged children.
POPULAR COMMON REASONS TO HOMESCHOOL:
- More exposure to everyday life skills
- No unnecessary busywork
- Non-judgmental environment
- The world can become your classroom
- Younger children can learn from older children
- More time to spend on favorite subjects
- Children can learn at their pace
- Better support for children with special needs
- Healthier social interactions
- Higher, more personalized quality education
- Protect children from a negative school environment
- Nurturing environment
- Creativity is encouraged without being rushed
- More flexibility for each child’s learning style
- Work is assigned for more the grades
- Parents choose curriculum
- Adjust the learning schedule as needed
- Parents can identify and help develop child’s talents and skills
- Weak learning areas don’t get skipped over
- More easily explore future career goals
- Less peer pressure
- More time to play and enjoy childhood
- Ability to strengthen family relationships
- No bullying
- Childhood innocence protected
- Character building skills
- Parents can become more influential
- Your family values can be discussed daily
- More confident children
- Less sickness
- Better meals
- less time wasted throughout the school day
- More time to explore interests and hobbies
- The gift of being together
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When my mom had homeschooled my brothers their entire middle school year her siblings thought she was crazy. But little did they know that by the time the went off to high school they would be accepted into early college. That’s just one of the great benefits about homeschooling children because they will be so far ahead.
I understand how your mom felt. Not everyone will agree with your decisions on how you choose to educate your children, but I’m so glad as parents we get to choose what we think is best for our children. And your mom must have done an amazing job!