As a Mom who homeschooled all 8 of my children, I’ve come up with a list of 7 homeschool tips you need to know. These are things I learned along the way (usually the hard way). I wish someone had told me when we first started teaching our kids! I hope they will be a help to you, as you start another school year. It can be difficult to find the right homeschooling tips and tricks, but this article will help you get started.
Homeschooling is a great way to provide your child with the education they need. It also gives you more time to teach them about subjects you feel are most important, and nurture the individual learning styles of each of your children. It can be difficult to find the right homeschooling tips and tricks, but this article will help you get started.
1. Make sure you have goals for your homeschool, and prioritize things based on those goals.
Having goals and priorities in your school day will guide you on days that are extra busy, or when you feel overwhelmed. Always start with what is top priority, and if you don’t get EVERYTHING done in a day that you want to, you have at least accomplished the most important ones. God makes it very easy to know what our priorities are in II Peter 1:6: “….add to your faith, virtue (character); and to character knowledge.” Start your day with building your kids faith (Bible reading, and memory, then have some kind of character training, and THEN you start on the academics. God will bless your day when you give Him the first part of it, and follow His priorities.
2. Be sure and have a schedule or routine.
Children function much better when their days have a regular routine, and they know what to expect. You will also accomplish much more, and be in control of your children and home, rather than them being in control of you. Don’t stress if your schedule doesn’t follow exact time frames, but rather follow a routine. (Some days Math will take longer than other days, and doesn’t fit in a perfect little 30 or 45-minute time slot.) With a routine, you and your children have a “rut to run in”. The schedule is the frame, but times can be adjusted within that, and a routine followed.
3. Make sure you have your children under control.
If they aren’t under control, and disobedience and bad attitudes are a normal thing, stop the academics for a while, and focus on the character. You can’t teach your children if you don’t have them under control. I love the following quote about obedience:
“A child must learn to obey first, or you can never serve as his teacher. Teaching him to obey, to do his work and stick with it, to follow instructions, not to interrupt, and much more requires your diligent supervision and follow-through. That is the work of parenting really. Unless your children learn to listen to your directions and follow them, it doesn’t matter how great your resources are. The first and foremost subject to teach is good behavior born of self-discipline. (In other words, character!)”
4. Don’t compare yourself with other homeschoolers, and what they are doing, or how they are doing it!
Comparison is one of the biggest causes of discouragement. The Bible tells us it’s NOT WISE to compare ourselves among ourselves. (II Corinthians 10:12) Do what God has called YOU to do with your family, and not what He has called them to do.
5. Realize that your kids may have different learning styles.
What worked with one child, may not work with the next one. This can be very frustrating if you don’t figure out how that child learns. Some of my kids were great with a textbook; others hated them, and learned nothing from them. Find what works for each child, and use it.
6. Have realistic expectations for each of your kids.
Often we set ourselves up for discouragement because we have unrealistic expectations of ourselves, or of our children. Realize you have limitations or you will always be frustrated. Don’t expect too much from your children. Realize each one is different and may progress differently from each other. It’s really okay if one doesn’t read at age 5, like the other one. He WILL learn to read at some point. All of mine did – but not at the same speed as the other. Some were fast and ready; others weren’t ready quite as early.
7. Commit your day to God, put yourself second.
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed! What are the things you think of as your rights? Time to read a book, get on Facebook, talk on the phone with a friend, or just a FEW minutes of peace and quiet? There’s nothing wrong with wanting any of those things. However, if you look at it as your RIGHT, and you don’t get to do it because things don’t go as planned, you’ll be an unhappy mom. Instead, commit your day and needs to God, and when you do get time to do some of those extras, count it as a blessing!
9 Responses
I am honestly not sure where I got that from. I have a notebook with lots of quotes that I have written down over the years, and I didn’t write the source for this one. I wish I knew so I could give proper credit! As much as I’d like to, I can’t claim it as my own. 🙂
Hi,
A couple of homeschool mom friends & I are wondering if you know where the quote you used came from. We love it! Can you please share the source (if you know it?)
Thank you!
“A child must learn to obey first, or you can never serve as his teacher. Teaching him to obey, to do his work and stick with it, to follow instructions, not to interrupt, and much more requires your diligent supervision and follow-through. That is the work of parenting really. Unless your children learn to listen to your directions and follow them, it doesn’t matter how great your resources are. The first and foremost subject to teach is good behavior born of self-discipline. (In other words, character!)”
I really appreciate the encouragement about not comparing! I feel satisfied if my daughter (kindergarten) learned her letters, Bible verses and how to crack eggs into a bowl to make cookies. 🙂 That is until I hear what that the hoemsschool mom I knwo down the road is tecahing her children Greek and Hebrew and studying Mythology. Then I and walk away saying "Boy am I behind in all this". If I could stop the comparisions I usually feel much more confident about what I am doing. Thanks for encouraging that! (Want some cookies anyone?)
Thanks!! I really needed some of these reminders as we get ready to start a new year of homeschooling!
Wow! I was feeling a little discouraged and like I need to cancel my membership with this website because I was not using it that much. Until I read your words of encouragement. Thanks so much for sharing it was a real blessing to me.
i have 3 children ages 6, 3 and 12 months. (2 girls and baby boy) I am starting homeschooling during the month of September. However I already feel very behind; I have not registered my daughter with the school district yet we are in. **Letter of Intent not sent yeet** I have not purchased books or even decided on what curriculum to use; My home and business is very disorganized and I am to say the least very discouraged. YOur words helped me feel there is some hope for even me.
Honestly I could use the support of this website more than I realized.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! You are so right- your son will have your attention, and will do MUCH better! Ask God to give you wisdom, and ask others for help and ideas. You can do it! 🙂
I really enjoyed your tips. My son is five years old and has special needs. I am going to try to homeshool him cause I think he will get more one on one time at home than he will in the contained classroom. Not exactly sure how I am going to go about doing it but your tips helped out alot. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Donna, I’m glad to hear that he is already learning. Hope your first official year of homeschooling goes well for you! Free free to email me if you have any questions, or just need some encouragement!
Enjoyed your tips. This is my first year of homeschooling. I took my son out of school January and started doing things with him. Since he is not 7 yet I don't have to register with the state yet. But during those few months before summer he already learned and recognized his abc and numbers and now is reading some. These tips will help me this coming year. Again thanks for sharing.