Whether you’re a new homeschooler or you’ve been at this a while, there’s always something new to learn. In this article I’d like to share my top 10 tips for homeschool success.
1. Be committed.
Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. Just like child-rearing isn’t accomplished quickly (or easily for that matter), neither is homeschooling. By being committed for the long-term, you will set yourself and your kids up for success.
That’s not to say that you must decide today that you will continue to homeschool your child through high school. Not at all! But you must commit yourself to an entire school year of diligence.
And then you’ll have to commit yourself to being diligent through an entire week of school, and then you’ll have to commit yourself to being diligent for an entire school day.
Remember, we are instructed to take up our cross daily, and so it is with homeschooling. It is a daily and sometimes minute-by-minute commitment.
2. Don’t try to duplicate public school at home.
I can’t believe that I actually read an article about homeschooling last week that suggested that homeschoolers keep a public school schedule at home… No way! Doing so will only frustrate everyone involved.
I’ve bought school desks for my kids several times throughout our homeschooling years, and they’ve never lasted a full school year. The kids always end up doing their work on the couch, floor, coffee table, or dining table.
3. Teach to your child’s strengths.
My dyslexic kid uses a lot of audio/visual resources. My artsy kid loves a good project. This is teaching to their strengths–allowing them to ‘do school’ in the way that is most conducive to learning for THEM as individuals.
“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Einstein was on to something. Why make our kids struggle unnecessarily?
I’m not saying make everything easy for them. Kids need challenges. I just think we should stop trying to teach fish to climb trees.
4. Hire a tutor if and when necessary.
It’s okay if you can’t teach every single subject. Whether you don’t feel adequately prepared to teach a subject or your child has a learning difference, it’s okay to hire outside help.
We’ve hired outside help for the following: piano lessons, dyslexia therapy, algebra, and art lessons. We’ve even taken electives online with live teachers.
I’ve been hired to teach a Spanish course, and we’ve participated in a homeschool co-op where parents taught different courses. It’s all okay.
5. Create a daily routine.
In our home, this looks different in every season. But we have found a consistent routine to be an invaluable tool.
When you’re at home, there’s more than just academics to be concerned with. Usually, there are siblings and chores and meals and animals and lots of things to do.
Working out a schedule or routine to make sure all the things get done is great, but a rigorous public school schedule is a waste of time.
6. Teach life skills.
Your kids may not appreciate it now, but they’ll thank you for teaching them to cook, clean, and handle routine household chores. God knows I had no idea how to run a household when I got married, even though I desperately wanted to do it well.
I got married when I was 18, and I thought cooking a different flavor of Hamburger Helper every night was real cooking. And I had never been taught how to clean anything…
It was pitiful. I struggled for a while. Actually, I still struggle a bit. But I have an amazing husband who was and continues to be patient and kind. And thank God for the library and internet (& observing a few Titus 2 women) where I learned how to be a homemaker.
There are so many more valuable life skills that apply to both boys and girls–how to change a tire, how to check the oil in a car or tire pressure in their tires, basic home maintenance, balancing a checkbook, how to make an appointment, etc.
7. Don’t expect too much of yourself or your children.
Between living up to grandma’s expectations, trying to keep up with or outdo the local public school, and our own high expectations of what homeschooling is supposed to look like, we can set ourselves on an unnecessarily difficult path.
So what if your kid doesn’t graduate high school at age 12? Who cares if “Little Susie” doesn’t become a piano prodigy? And if your children don’t wear matching outfits and behave perfectly on the homeschool group’s field trip, it’s OKAY!
Have you done your best, mama? Are you moving in the right direction, even if it’s a slow move? Are you loving those little ones and pointing them to the cross? That’s what really matters.
Unrealistic expectations are destructive. Do your best, and be satisfied with that!
8. Let your kids explore their own interests.
So maybe “Little Suzie” really loves the piano. Homeschooling will allow her to dedicate more time to practice, and who knows? Maybe she will be a famous pianist one day…
There are many amazing things that can occupy a kid’s time that may not look like academics. Exploring nature, hunting, raising animals, growing a garden, tinker with motors, painting, drawing, and building things are just a few of them.
Learning should be fun. Homeschooling makes it possible!
9. Take field trips!
There’s no sense staying home when you don’t have to.
I love field trips!
We’ve studied all sorts of subjects that have lead us on some amazing field trips. I’ve even built entire family vacations around field trips connected to things we’ve been studying.
Here are a few of the places we’ve been.
- George Washington Carver’s home and museum
- Dollywood
- The MS Gulf Coast
- The AL Gulf Coast
- Avery Island
- Memphis Zoo
- Cincinnati Zoo
- The Creation Museum
- Rock City
- Frogmore Plantation
- Natchez Antebellum Homes
- U.S. Space and Rocket Center
- Bellingrath Gardens
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium
- Fort Gaines
10. Learn to relax and have fun.
These years are fleeting, mama! My second is beginning her senior year, and it’s bittersweet. We got here a lot faster than I had anticipated.
My biggest regret is not slowing down and just enjoying our days more.
BONUS Tip! PRAY, PRAY, and PRAY some more!
Of all the homeschool tips I could’ve received and of all the tips I can give today, this one may be last, but it is absolutely the most important.
I can’t get through a single day of life without Jesus. Add in being a wife, mom, and homeschool teacher, and I would be a much bigger mess than I already am without prayer. Praying without ceasing is imperative to our homeschooling success.
I hope, if you’re a Christian, you’ll lean on Him for strength and wisdom and kindness and patience and all the things moms need to get through the day.