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5 Days of Tips for Homeschool Parents - Homeschooling Tips

When a family decides to homeschool, it is a big and important step. It is usually best if both parents are in agreement regarding the decision to homeschool. However, it is possible to do it even when one parent is not totally on board, just a bit more challenging. Homeschooling affects every faces and aspects of your family life. This is why this week the TOS Crew will explore the theme of tips for homeschool parents

Today, as part of this week-long 5 Days of Tips for Homeschool Parents, I would like to share with you a few tips regarding the actual homeschooling that can help with the ease of homeschooling.


Decide as a family your style of homeschooling. There are as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschool parents. That said there are major styles that/or methods that you can tailor your homeschool to, which will help you set a course for it, and serve as a guide or compass throughout the journey.
Classical, Charlotte Mason, Child-Led, Relaxed, Unschooling, Traditional, Eclectic, to name the main ones, but there are many more. Check a previous post of mine on Homeschooling Styles and Methods.

Decide on a routine. Routines can be freeing. I use to not like routine, but overtime I have come to learn to make it my friend. Kids love and thrive on routine, so find one that works for you and the rest of the family, and work with it.

Research your homeschool curriculum. This is my favorite one. The homeschool market is saturated. There is so much out there that it can get overwhelming pretty soon. Start early. Take your time and research everything. Look at samples, read reviews and talk to others before settling on a curriculum.

Avoid playing the comparison game. This one is a hard one, but an important one. The temptation to look at someone else's homeschool style, kids, family routine etc... can be so strong that it can paralyze us and plunge us in despair, or cause us to start doubting ourselves. Just don't compare! Each family is unique. You cannot emulate what another family does, so don't try. Understand and work with your own family dynamic, and learn to rejoice in what the Lord has given you.

Expect bad days. Everyday is going to be different, that is one of the benefit of homeschooling. You do not just teach academic, you also teach the soul and heart, and with homeschooling you get to teach to the moment (one of the thing I love best about having the kids at home 24/7). Those odds days are always opportunities to learn and grow in different areas both for the parents and the kids.

Look for the small victories. There will be progress, this is certain. So look for those and rejoice in them, it will make the journey more enjoyable and worth it!

Pray for your homeschool and for your kids. This is obvious, but necessary. This is the heart of it. Without God's help and guidance it will be harder. But as we rely on Him for everything, from the enabling to the teaching, homeschooling becomes a true joy!

5 Days of Tips for Homeschool ParentsThis whole week the crew is sharing tips on a plethora of topics, make sure to check them out. Here are 10 posts to get you rolling.

Dawn @ Double O Farms
Dawn @ Guiding Light Homeschool
Debbie @ Debbie's Homeschool Corner
Desiree @ Our Homeschool Notebook
Diana @ Busy Homeschool Days
Diana @ Homeschool Review
Elyse @ Oiralinde: Eternal Song
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Erin @ For Him and My Family
Jen @ Chestnut Grove Academy


In this Series:

Homeschooling Tips
Budget Tips
Family Fun Tips

Comments

Unknown said…
I am particularly a fan of the last two tips. I often pray. It is a big part of my life.

Celebrating the small things are just as important as the big stuff. We celebrate getting one problem correct especially if it was a struggle area.
Annette said…
yes, one must expect bad days, plan for them even.
Gale said…
Great tips...especially the first one. My husband and I were always clashing on homeschool stuff...and then we took this quiz together ( http://eclectic-homeschool.com/what-kind-of-homeschooler-are-you/ ) and read over the linked explanations of homeschool philosophies, and afterwards I understood WHY we were clashing, but also saw where we had some common ground. I do most of the homeschooling, but when he does things with our son I've learned to back off and understand that his way isn't wrong, it's just a different way of doing things that my son will benefit from too. And we're both pretty ecclectic, it's just we clash in a few areas. Understanding that helped me relax more.
Joelle said…
Gale, that is great that you got to realize where you were different in teaching style. That is a great bonus. I did take that quiz too. It was quite interesting.
Joelle said…
Annette, I am not a big planner, so I am not sure I would go that far, haha....
Joelle said…
Definitely Latonya! I always try to point out to them when they do something right that we have been working on, no matter how small, or big. Thanks for stopping by!
patty said…
Great list - but for me I expect "bad years." Expecting a bad year makes you focus extra hard on the good years. For instance, the year my dad was ill, and I had a baby, and made lunch for my dad 4-5 days a week, and took him to dialysis 2 days a week. Large chunks of my day were nursing a baby, cooking special meals for him, and running him places, but thankfully God used that time to create a special bond with my children and their grandfather before he died. The next year we were all a little more focused.
Leah Courtney said…
The comparison thing is so hard. It's easy to get caught up in that. :-(
Unknown said…
Great tips! So easy to fall into the "comparison" game. Or even to pick something because a friend gives it rave reviews. But each family has different goals and learning styles so just because that math program was great for your friend, it may not work for you.
Joelle said…
Patty, yes I would imagine, it would be good to expect that too since it can happen anytime!
Joelle said…
Leah, yes I would agree. This one is a really hard one!
Joelle said…
Trena, that is something so important to learn. The earlier we get that, the more realistic our expectations will be!
Anonymous said…
Yes to not playing the comparison game and expecting bad days! It's so easy to admire what other homeschoolers are doing, and then feel inadequate and second guess our curriculum choice. Accepting that there will be bad days and it won't always be fun has helped me when we hit those rough patches.

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