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15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families

Small Changes for Huge Growth, Utilizing 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families.

Making small changes for bountiful growth is an ideal way to ensure that your homeschool is everything that you want it to be, and more. Maybe you’d like to homeschool your children in the new year, or perhaps you’d just like to be more successful at homeschool. We are going to dive into 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, to help you obtain your homeschooling goals.

It’s the time of the year when you get to set goals and hope to stick to them. Many people often list all the amazing things they’d like to accomplish like sticking to that diet, organizing the house, getting a new job, or committing to an exercise regiment. We often start out with the best of intentions but many of us end up reverting to our old ways in a matter of weeks.

This usually happens because the changes that we wanted to take place were just not feasible. Why is that? The answer is simple, because life happens! Life is a never ending cycle of ups and downs. The key is to set manageable, realistic and obtainable goals. Goals that will benefit you and your family.

This is imperative when it comes to setting goals and habits for a successful homeschool. You don’t need to wait until the new school year to begin homeschooling or to change things up to make your homeschool more successful. The time is now to utilize 15 habits of successful homeschooling families. You don’t need to be overwhelmed, or stressed about learning new habits. Because these habits and goals are just so much more simple than you’d think.

What are the 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families?

1. Successful Homeschooling Families are Flexible.

When it comes to successful homeschooling families, they have learned that in order to be successful, they must be flexible. Realizing that life happens, and homeschool happens around your life not the other way around, is key to a much more peaceful homeschool. You can plan things out in perfect detail, but sometimes things will happen that will shift your best laid plans.

It’s always important to factor in flexibility so that when things happen like, sickness, job loss, doctors appointments, or a headache that keeps you from teaching, you won’t feel burdened down by unrealistic expectations.

2. Successful Homeschooling Families Make Learning a Lifestyle.

Learning isn’t just something that happens from 9:00am – 2:00pm. And learning certainly isn’t something that happens only when the workbooks hit the table. Learning is all around them, all the time. Successful homeschooling families utilize opportunities to gain more knowledge. Many homeschooling parents are constantly teaching their children in various forms. While instilling a genuine love for learning in their children.

3. They Ask For Help.

You’re familiar with the term “It takes a Village”. Well, it takes a village to homeschool your children. It’s not a one parent does all the teaching, all the time, kind of situation. You will need help, from family, sometimes from friends, and from your partner. Never be afraid to ask for help.

4. Successful Homeschooling Parents Share Responsibility.

Going along with habit number 3 of the 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, is sharing responsibility. You cannot do it all by yourself. Having an understanding with your partner is extremely important. As is having real conversations about sharing the responsibilities of homeschooling and raising your children. Doing so is imperative to a successful homeschooling journey. Sharing responsibility can look different for every family. So be sure to find your own vibe.

5. Never Fall for Comparison.

Which brings us to the next point. It’s important for your family to find it’s own unique vibe. Chatting with your partner about ways to share responsibility is so important, but so is not comparing what that shared responsibility looks like to another families shared responsibilities.

Perhaps your homeschool family friends have an amazing system where the partner teaches math when they’re home from work and also does the dishes and laundry. But your partner isn’t doing the dishes or laundry, or teaching math. However they take the kids for amazing nature walks where they teach your children really important lessons about nature while you take a break at home.

When you start to compare yourself to other homeschooling families, you will inevitably feel miserable about some aspect of your homeschool, family, or life. So be sure to stay far, far away from the comparison trap. Because once you fall into it, it’s really hard to get out of.

6. Say No!

It can be so tempting to say yes to everyone and everything. Maybe your friend just planned a really cool field trip for the homeschool community. But you’re feeling burnt out and exhausted, you can say no. Maybe a family friend thinks that you are just staying home doing nothing all day, so has asked you to babysit their child. You know that this will have a negative impact on your homeschool. And you really just can’t. Say no! They will find alternative help. All too often people think that homeschooling families just sit around and do nothing. Now’s your time to prove otherwise.

7. Avoid Jumping at Every Opportunity.

It can be so tempting. Sometimes homeschooling parents feel like their children are lacking in some form because they aren’t going to ‘real school’. Therefore they must be missing important aspects of socialization and field trips. This may cause you to jump at every opportunity that arises. Doing so will only cause your schedule to get overbooked, your kids to be tired, and you to burn out. When you dive at every opportunity, your homeschool lessons will fall way behind which will then cause another layer of unfortunate stress, that you simply don’t need. So, avoid jumping at every opportunity.

8. Understand the Importance of Community.

Another really important habit/ goal to have, when it comes to the 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, is the ability to embrace community. This doesn’t mean that you’re going back on number 7 and suddenly doing all the activities with the local homeschool community. No, this means that you are investing in healthy homeschool relationships with other homeschool families. Families that you meet through the local homeschool communities.

Building those friendships is so important. Because they get it! Other homeschooling parents understand just how crazy homeschooling can be. They understand the frustration of people constantly poking them and teasing them about how their kids should be in school. When you have that important community built up around your homeschool, your homeschool will thrive in the safety that the community brings.

9. Successful Homeschoolers Read a lot!

I get it! You’re busy. You have 10,000 things to do, at any given time. Sometimes, reading gets pushed to the very bottom of the agenda because it requires stillness. And, your mind is anything but still. I understand that you feel like you need to be moving and doing things at all times in order to feel like you are getting anything done. But trust me when I tell you, that spending time with your kids reading is extremely important work and truly needs to be at the top of the list.

Reading together sparks conversations, enhances the imagination, grows bonds, and builds vocabulary and reading comprehension. Truly reading together is a gift.

10. We Get Really Excited!

Your kid just read a full sentence? That’s a reason to celebrate! Your child just memorized their times tables! Celebrate! Successful homeschoolers don’t save celebrations for birthdays and report cards, they celebrate all the little moments along the way to the big milestones. Celebrate those small wins! You and your family have earned it.

11. Successful Homeschooling Parents Start the Day on a Positive Note.

Before the children are awake, you can often find a homeschooling parent reading a book, journaling, meditating, or exercising. This is the time of day to get that inner peace and balance that they will need to carry them through the craziness that the day will inevitably hold. Finding out what your jam is when it comes to starting on a positive note is essential.

12. Successful Homeschoolers Involve the Kids.

Starting a garden? The kids are right there, getting their hands dirty. Working at a soup kitchen? Your kids are right there handing out food with you. Successful homeschool parents involve their children in the many different areas and aspects of life. Giving them the opportunity to learn vital lessons from a young age.

13. Avoid Conversations with People who Just Don’t Get it!

Whether that be an internet troll, or a moody aunt. There will always be someone who has something negative to say about your choice to homeschool. Even if you’re doing an amazing job, they will find something wrong with it. They will throw out harsh accusations and rude comments regarding homeschooling. These are the people and conversations that you want to avoid. They are not life giving, they are life draining. Make it your mission to stay away from that drama, because your mind doesn’t need to be filled with nonsense.

14. Successful Homeschoolers Aren’t Afraid to Switch it up!

The curriculum you purchased is just not working? Your kids mastered a concept and are bored with the repetition of the concept? Maybe your kids need extra practice work to master a concept but your curriculum wants you to move on. Don’t! Successful homeschoolers aren’t afraid to throw out a curriculum and start something new.

They will spend more time or less time on a concept based on how their students are doing. You are with your child all the time, so you know what your child is responding to better than anyone else. If something is just not working for your homeschool, you can ditch it and find something that does work!

15. Understand Just How Difficult the Task Is.

Because you are always teaching in some capacity, you as a homeschooling parent will know that even the tiny, mundane moments are leading to something great. You have the ability and opportunity to stay home with your children, not everyone can do that. In fact, most parents can’t. You have an abundance of patience and dedication to your children and their education. We don’t need to tell you that this is a difficult task, because you already know.

But you also know that you have the ability to do it. You know that each moment is unique and that one day you will see the rewards of all this hard work that you are pouring into your children’s education. You should be so proud.

Summing it Up!

There are a million ways to homeschool, finding your rhythm is essential. Will you find thousands of reasons as to why you shouldn’t homeschool? Yep! But, for each reason there is two reasons why it’s so important to press on and homeschool your kids. Will you have ups and downs? Absolutely! However, the ups are so amazingly great that they make the downs seem like nothing.

Be proud of yourself, the strength you are demonstrating by homeschooling your kids is simply amazing. Now go ahead and write down 10 things that you’d like to accomplish in the new year with your homeschool. Make sure they are realistic and obtainable goals. Then each day, aim to work towards them.

Should Homeschool Curriculum be Accredited?

We all want the very best for our kids. So naturally many of us are feeling overly stressed with the ups and downs of pandemic learning and school closures. As a result, many parents have turned to homeschooling. Doing so as a method of greater stability for their children’s education. Even after taking this large step, many parents are still worried. Especially if they’re struggling with questions like: ‘Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?’ Or: ‘If my child goes back to school, will they go into the correct grade?’

Question 1: Should Homeschool Curriculum be Accredited?

The short answer is no. Your child’s homeschool curriculum doesn’t need to be accredited so please don’t stress yourself over it. The reality is, most home learning programs aren’t accredited. Because accreditation requires that a particular program is being delivered. While assurances are made that it’s being delivered properly and completely. It’s very difficult for the company that sold you the curriculum to keep tabs on all families. They would need to insure that all curriculum is completed and standards are met. Which would obviously be a huge undertaking for any company.

Supervision would be needed by the curriculum company. This supervision would often come in the form of standardized testing. This would be to ensure that students are completing the program. And also helps the supervision to know if the student has obtained satisfactory understanding of the content that they have been learning. In this situation, not only would you need to comply to their assessments and scheduling. But you would also expect additional fees for testing or a higher price-point on the home-learning program itself.

This often goes against most homeschoolers reasons for homeschooling.

For most homeschoolers, this goes strictly against many of the reasons they chose to homeschool in the first place. Because teaching things that they choose are valuable rather than having strict adherence to a particular program is important to them. Additionally, many homeschoolers enjoy having the opportunity to alter, delete, or add in lessons to tailor learning to their own unique child. These are both important reasons why most homeschool families aren’t worried about questions like “Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?”

Another awesome aspect of homeschooling is the opportunity to have flexibility when it comes to scheduling. And how much time is needed or taken to learn. This way you won’t feel trapped by test dates. Or be stuck to the idea that testing is the only way to determine how much your child has learned. As we all know that standardized testing is suited to particular types of minds. Which is why it’s important to remember that not all minds think the same. This is especially true for our kids with unique learning needs.

Are there any accredited homeschool curriculum companies?

Some homeschool programs are accredited but be careful of what governing body is accrediting them. Sometimes accreditation just means that a particular college (usually an American Christian College) has approved the program. This is usually more of a marketing position on the part of the college. As they are trying to encourage students of the program to apply to their college after homeschooling. Therefore, it’s usually not a genuine concern for the program of study.

The Results:

Should homeschool curriculum be accredited? No, homeschool curriculum can not be accredited and should not be accredited. Because homeschool curriculum can’t be accredited on its own. The homeschool curriculum would have to be a part of an institutions program. Because homeschool curriculum isn’t a part of a school, it can not and does not need to be accredited.

Question 2: What if I want to put my child back in school?

If you decide to put your child back into the education system after homeschooling, your child should be able to go back into their grade level without hassle. You would simple need to enrol your child back into school. For elementary school, your child would usually just be placed back into their age/grade. Without any need for additional testing.

Therefore, you don’t need to worry about whether or not your child would be able to join back into their grade. As long as you are keeping up with their homeschooling curriculum they will stay on track with their peers. Even if you find that your child is struggling in different areas with their education because of pandemic learning. Please know that your child will quickly catch up. With a little time, dedication, and understanding, your child will be back on track in no time.

The Takeaway:

With the right curriculum, guidance, and time, your child will stay on track with their education. And your child will be able to attend traditional school again.

Try not to worry!

Please know that you aren’t the only parent worried about your child’s education. Most, if not all, parents are worried in some capacity about their child’s education right now. You are doing the very best that you can for your child’s education. And while sometimes you may feel like you haven’t done enough, you have. It’s normal and healthy to have questions about homeschooling like “Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?”

No one wants to “mess up their child’s education”. So, let us assure you that you are doing a great job. Asking questions, doing research, finding the best learning solutions for your child – those are all huge steps in the right direction. You’re doing an excellent job, and your child’s education will show that, with time. Try not to get so consumed by the idea of how things should look. Because homeschooling often looks very different for everyone. Just take it one day at a time. And tap into more amazing homeschooling resources to help you get started on the right track.

Check out “The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling” for helpful tips on how to have a successful homeschooling journey. https://schoolio.io/news/the-20-dos-of-homeschooling/

The Homeschool Mom – Is Your Curriculum Accredited? Does it Matter? https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/is-your-curriculum-accredited-does-it-matter/

Encourage Learning Throughout the Holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but chances are you aren’t feeling like it. This time of the year can add a whole new level of exhaustion to the already over-worked homeschooling parent. Are you feeling burnt out from homeschooling, virtual learning or just parenting in general? How can you encourage learning throughout the holidays without causing burn-out for both you and your child?

The winter break is always welcomed by kids. And with the new chaos that is pandemic learning, more and more parents look forward to the winter break also. For many, it’s a time to reset and refocus. And for some, it’s also a time to catch up on concepts that maybe their child has been struggling with.

How can you encourage learning throughout the holidays without causing more exhaustion for both you and your child?

Step 1:

Identify what it is that your child should be learning during the holidays. Are they struggling with Math? Reading? Or writing? Which area of their education is in need of the most TLC? There are so many amazing ways to mix fun, creativity and learning together during this time of year so don’t get stressed out if they’re struggling in more than one area.

Step 2:

Identify your child’s interests, hobbies and what they just love to do. Do they love art? Playing games? Making snowmen? If you aren’t sure, spend a little time with them throughout the day. Or just ask them!

I’ve identified what they need to be learning and what their common interests are. So, now what?

Now we need to find fun ways to incorporate learning into their hobbies. It’s actually so much easier than you’d think it is. We can often get so caught up in this idea that learning must look a certain way for it to be effective. But that logic is completely flawed.

Fun Ways to Learn Through the Holidays:

Some kids love reading and writing, so if you offer them a workbook during the holidays they will dive right into it. Other kids feel that you encouraging them to learn during the holidays is a form of punishment. Each child is uniquely different, and as such, each child will have their own unique learning style. Therefore it can be a lot more difficult to find fun ways for your child to learn with. And perhaps your idea of ‘fun learning’ is vastly different from theirs, so how can you encourage learning throughout the holidays while catering to their unique learning style?

First Let’s Figure Out Your Child’s Learning Style:

There are so many different types of learning styles so we are going to just focus on the four most common for this blog.

Visual Learners

A Visual Learner is one who learns better by observing, looking at pictures or diagrams. Additionally, a visual learner will often have an easier time remembering what they saw or read vs. what they heard. A visual learner will usually be the one attempting to take notes during class because it helps them focus. They also prefer to work alone, instead of in groups of people. And they usually need quiet time to be able to focus on new concepts.

Some additional characteristics of the visual learner: They often have an easier time remembering faces, but not names. Locations, but not street names. And they often seem to be daydreaming. A visual learner will usually love colours, and need colours in their notes to help them remember and focus. If they’re bored you’ll see them doodling, writing, scribbling or making random lists. Usually with colours and fun designs

How can we help our visual learners during the holidays?

Give them plenty of opportunities to doodle, draw and write. Handing a visual learner a workbook is usually not going to be hugely beneficial for quick and effective learning. Unless that workbook is filled with fun pictures, graphs, and colours. When it comes to visual learners, it’s usually not as easy as just picking up a grade workbook at Costco during the holidays.

When it comes to your visual learner, you will need to get creative.

You could read them a novel each day, like one of Schoolio’s unique Novel Studies. While you read to them, encourage them to doodle what it looks like in their mind. Encourage them to illustrate the story on paper or write down key points that they found interesting.

Learn more about The Schoolio Novel Studies: https://schoolio.io/mini-units/

2. Be sure to use bright colours whenever possible. If you are asking your child to look at a page of math questions, try having them highlight each question with their favourite holiday colours first.

3. Make the key points of what you want your child to learn stand out! Make it brighter and bolder than the rest of the content that is on a page.

4. Give them time to process what you are trying to help them learn and understand. Don’t expect them to just understand right away. Because Visual Learners often need time to think about what they learned for the concept to really stick.

Auditory Learners

Sounds matter when it comes to auditory learners. That’s because auditory learners usually learn so much better when the subject of their learning is reinforced by sounds. These are the learners that would rather listen to someones lecture, a story, or an audio book. They sometimes also like to read out loud to themselves because it helps them focus and understand better. Auditory Learners are usually really good at explaining things to others and they will be the ones to repeat what the teacher says until the concept sticks in their mind.

If your auditory learner needs to work on some math problems but is having a hard time focusing on the book. You could either try letting them be completely alone to complete it. Or, turning on some unique holiday music for background noise. When you’ve taught them an interesting fact, ask them to repeat that concept to you with their eyes closed. Or ask them to repeat what you said in their own words. Let your auditory learners have learning partners. Whether in person, or on zoom. Having someone to talk about concepts with can help auditory learners understand and remember.

Kinaesthetic Leaners

Our Kinaesthetic learners (sometimes called Tactile learners) are the ones that learn best through experiences or doing things. They like to touch and feel, and to get involved, or to act things out. Kinaesthetic learners usually have to get involved in order to understand. And they are often the ones that just can’t sit still which often makes them really good at sports and dancing!

The Kinaesthetic learners need to take more breaks than most other types of learners. If you’re trying to read them a neat story about history, you could have them act it out. Mixing movement with short and simple lessons is an excellent way to encourage learning throughout the holidays for Kinaesthetic learners.

Reading and Writing Learners

This category is pretty self-explanatory. If you have a reading and writing learner, you’ll know. They are the ones that learn the very best through written words. These learners will express themselves best through reading books, writing, and diaries. They often appear to have a hunger for learning, always looking things up and searching for new books to read.

For this learner, you can absolutely encourage them to dive into some novel studies throughout the holidays. Encourage them to write stories about the holidays, and what their favourite part of this time of the year is. Be sure to have plenty of interesting books, and writing materials available for them to utilize throughout the holidays.

What type of learner do you have?

There’s a huge chance that your learner will fall into one or more category. As some of these categories do overlap in different areas of learning. If you’re having trouble identifying which learning category your child falls into. Try taking out and pen and a paper and write down the different characteristics of each learning category. Then circle the categories that are best suited to your child.

If you have more than one child you will likely find that your children are incredibly different in so many ways, including their learning styles. Determining which learning style works best for each of your children, and then finding ways to bridge their learning together will help you not get so stressed and burnt out trying to accommodate everyone.

Using their unique learning styles to encourage learning throughout the holidays.

Now this is the fun part. When you get to find unique ways to help your children learn. I always find it so funny how we get caught up in this idea that learning must only come from workbooks and planned out lessons. When in all actuality, learning is all around us, all the time.

For your hands on learner, they can gain expertise by helping you with the holiday baking. You can encourage them to draw bright pictures for family and friends. Alternatively, for your auditory learner you can press play on some unique stories. Once they’ve completed listening, you can ask them to tell you about it in their own words. For the Kinaesthetic learner, you can get them outside in the snow, shovelling and having fun. Mixing in a neat verbal science lesson while they rummage through the snow. And for your reading and writing learner you can get them to make beautiful Christmas cards, and keep the novels and neat lessons stocked up for them to jump into when they start to get bored.

For every unique learner, there is more than one unique learning activity that you can utilize to encourage learning throughout the holidays. Just remember not to get caught up in the idea that learning must look a certain way, because it doesn’t. And that applies to holiday learning and learning in general.

Keep learning holiday themed to gain interest!

It doesn’t matter which type of learner you have. Most kids really enjoy the holiday theme. Therefore, incorporating peaceful, fun, and holiday themed, mini lessons into your holiday plans has proven to be beneficial for our kids. Even if they aren’t necessarily ‘behind’ or in need of extra practice, it will benefit your learner to brush up on different concepts and take on some light learning through the holiday season.

Which is why the Schoolio Marketplace is the ideal place to land when searching for interest led learning for our kids.

Some really unique lessons that your kids will love this time of year:

The Schoolio Celebrations Around the World Special Interest Unit https://schoolio.io/product/holidays/

Teaching your kids about celebrations had around the world is a fun way to pique interest, and help them learn some amazing new facts. With this Special Interest Unit your child will have the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal People’s Winter Solstice, Lunar New Year, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Diwali and Christmas. There’s something for every learning style, from writing activities, stories, to baking and crafts. Adding this to your holiday learning plan, will prove to be beneficial.

“The New Year” Special Interest Unit by Schoolio https://schoolio.io/product/new-year-mini-unit/

Another fun way to encourage learning throughout the holidays is to jump into The New Year Special Interest Unit. Your child will study Math, Science, Language and Social Studies through fun lessons like ‘The History of New Year Celebrations’, ‘Making Resolutions’, ‘Counting Down to the New Year’ and more. Be sure to pick up your copy!

Remember, encouraging learning through the holidays doesn’t have to be holiday themed though.

If your child has no interest in holiday themed learning, then try incorporating some other fun, learning activities. Like lessons about trees and forests, pirates, or investigations. There’s so many neat lessons over at the Schoolio Marketplace. So, go ahead and check it out: https://schoolio.io/mini-units/

Just remember not to stress, instead have fun and happy holidays!

For more information on how to help unique learners:

Hey Teach! – Accommodating Different Learning Styles – https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/accommodating-different-learning-styles-3-tips-guide-you-01702.html
Rasmussen – 4 Types of Learning Styles – https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/types-of-learning-styles/

Should You Take a Break From Homeschooling?

Feeling overwhelmed, tired and frustrated? But still pressing through the list of assignments? When you’re feeling like this, should you take a break from homeschooling? Or should you continue working? And will your kids fall behind if you take a break?

Being a homeschooling parent means that you get access to a whole new level of parental guilt. Including the guilt you will feel for taking breaks from school. Homeschooling parents often have trouble justifying their need for time off because they have too much to do, all the time.

Here’s a bold truth when it comes to homeschooling and breaks.

It’s important to remember that you don’t need to wait for certain times of the year to take a much needed break from homeschooling. Maybe you’re sick, or your kids are sick and have been up all night. Should you press into school work? Or should you take a break? The answer is obvious, take a break! Are you encountering a stressful life event? Should you take a break from homeschooling? Or push through? You already know the answer, take a break!

Pushing yourself and your children to accomplish assignments during a time of stress or sickness will not benefit anyone. And chances are, your child will not remember a single thing from these forced lessons. Because the brain cannot learn under intense amounts of stress.

What if you just took a break?

If you just took a break from the daily routine, and are feeling the need for another one. Should you take a break from homeschooling again? The answer is: You can do what your family needs. Maybe your family doesn’t need a total break from homeschooling. But rather a simple break from a certain trouble subject. Maybe you need a break from cooking three meals a day? Or perhaps you need a break from the never ending chores that come with motherhood.

As a homeschooling parent you are in a constant state of movement. Maybe you just need to slow down. A full break of everything can sometimes be so nice, and exactly what we need. But as a homeschooling parent you will notice that sometimes homeschooling can get lumped into the same category as laundry, cooking, cleaning and working. All the tasks turn out to be your tasks, and you’re tired of them.

So Ask Yourself, Is It a Break From Homeschooling That I Need? Or Do I Just Need to Adjust My Plate?

First of all, if you are running your homeschool like a military school, nothing will go smoothly for you. I’m sorry, but it won’t. That’s just a fact. You don’t have to run through Math, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, Music and Art all on the same day. On the same note, you don’t need to have a beautifully clean home that people walk into and say “Wow how do you do it all?” You also don’t need to prepare three spectacular meals a day. Let’s be honest, no one will eat them all anyway.

If you feel like it’s just your plate that needs adjusting.

That’s totally fine! You are the master of your own life. If you feel like your plate is off balance than it is! It’s up to you to make the right changes to shift the plate to a maintainable balance.

You can try: Adjusting your school work.

Is the non stop curriculum draining you and your kids? Try laying out their curriculum differently each day. Instead of trying to crush all the subjects and grasp all the learning opportunities in one day, shift it around. Is math your challenge subject? Then try mixing a math day with a fun learning opportunity like art. Aim to do just one or two subjects a day. And don’t overdo it! It can be so tempting, when our kids are doing really well with a subject, to try to get them to do more. Do more lessons so you’re ‘ahead’. Or even add in more curriculum books.

Trust me when I say: Don’t do that. It’s so much better for your child to learn in a relaxed format. Rather than the chaos of adding more. Often times when you add more to the day, the balance gets totally overturned.

Using a food delivery service/order take out.

I totally understand that take out is not doable every night. Although, I really wish it could be. But if you’ve just had a day that has completely gone off the rails and you’re exhausted. Then order some take out. If you know that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are your families problem days, then do yourself a huge favour and either meal plan and prep for those three days or order a meal service.

That way you know on those days, that dinner is covered. Because dinner seems to be such a stress point for almost every mom I know. It’s just another thing that you’re expected to do after a busy day. So, planning ahead can be a game changer.

Lower the standards.

This one is oh, so hard. Especially if you gravitate towards false perfection. Perhaps you just saw a beautiful spread of your friend’s kids lunch on Pinterest. She really cut the strawberries into Mickey Mouse. How do you compete with that? Oh! The answer is so simple! You don’t. When you finally understand that you don’t need to have ridiculous standards, you will free yourself from so much stress and tension. So, your kids ate bagels for breakfast? Instead of potatoes, French toast and a fruit salad? That’s fine! Ok, so your kid had peanut butter and jam sandwiches for lunch? That’s great! You had cereal for dinner? That’s awesome!

Now you’re looking at your house and cringing because the laundry has been unfolded by the laundry room door for 4 days. There’s dirty dishes in the sink, and one of your kids tracked mud all through the house? It happens. One thing I have to remind myself, over and over again is that we live here! As much as I’d love to have a model home that just sparkles and shines, it’s unrealistic. Because the truth is that the second I clean the house my kids will destroy it. We live here. Lowering your standards when it comes to cleaning will greatly resolve the negative feelings that you have towards yourself.

Outsource when needed.

There are many areas of your life that you can be outsourcing if you need to. I get that as moms we feel the desire to have it altogether and to accomplish everything on our own. But let’s be honest, is that actually realistic? Were you meant to do all of the things, all of the time, on your own? Absolutely not! Pull out a piece or paper and a pen and write down the areas that you are struggling the most. Teaching the kids math? That’s ok! There are so many resources available to help with that. From online tutors to helpful workbooks.

Maybe you’re struggling with just doing a basic clean of your house? That’s totally ok! There are lots of house cleaners available for as cheap as $20 an hour. If you have someone come and help you with cleaning for just three hours every other week. That will cost you a total of $60. Alternatively, you could chat with family or friends to see if there is anyway they could help you here and there. You’d be surprised how often people would really love to help. They just don’t want to ask because they are afraid to offend your independence. And as homeschooling parents we often have a way about us that says “I can do it all! Don’t worry.” But that’s unrealistic. Please ask for help.

Have mandatory fun days.

Days that are dedicated to fun learning. No math or language arts allowed here. This day is all about science, art, and music. You could even make this special school day on a Monday, the day that is so hard to get back into the homeschool groove. Or maybe Wednesday, when everyone has the mid-week boredom. Adding in a fun day can freshen up the whole family and help everyone get back on track.

Maybe you’ve done all of these things and you’re still just not feeling it. Should you take a break from homeschooling?

Here are some clear signs that you should take a break from homeschooling:

1. You’re sick.

If you’re sick, it’s perfectly normal and healthy to take some time off school. Especially if you’re barely functioning. You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. If you need a day off, that’s ok. The truth is, you don’t actually get a day off. Because as parents we are always on duty. Even so, it’s better to take a few things off your plate if you’re feeling unwell. So, put the schoolbooks away, turn on The Magic School Bus, and snuggle up on the couch.

2. A Family Emergency.

No one wants to deal with the terrifying experiences that family emergencies bring. Therefore, if you’re experiencing a family emergency, you should absolutely take time off from homeschooling. Even if there’s nothing you can directly do about the emergency. Your mind just won’t be in a clear place to teach. Pushing homeschool on a tough day like that will just make learning tricky while triggering high stress levels. Take a break.

3. Your Kids are Sick.

When your kids are sick they will have a much more difficult time focusing. Blowing their noses, having tummy aches. Rubbing their head from a head ache. Your kids need to rest. And so do you.

4. You’re just not prepared for the day.

Everyone has those days. And if someone claims that they don’t — they are lying. Instead of stressing trying to make copies and flip through lesson plans. Watch an interesting movie about history, or a documentary instead. Go outside and learn about the weather, or the uniqueness of the trees. Turn those messy, unorganized days into wholesome days that you and your children will remember.

5. Your Kids Clearly Need a Break.

It’s called a mental health day. And even kids in the public school system take them. Sometimes your kids will need a break. Just like public and private schools have PA days. You also can take days here and there to allow your kids the downtime that they need.

6. There’s a Fun Event Planned.

Learning is all around us. If you have a unique field trip planned to the museum. Then don’t force textbooks on that day. Let the learning come from this fun event or field trip that you have planed instead.

7. Your Kids Can’t Focus.

Some days you will find that your kids just can’t focus. Why does this happen? I really don’t know. Some people say it’s the full moon? But I know for a fact my kids have lost focus when there isn’t a full moon. I really don’t think that anyone knows the reason why our kids sometimes just can’t focus. But if that’s your family. Then close the workbooks and go outside. Go for a long walk, hike or run with your kids. Go to the park. Explore a new neighbourhood. Change up the scenery. Breathe in the fresh air. Let the sun shine on your face.

8. It’s Nice Outside.

This is a real thing. I’m not even kidding. So many homeschooling families that I know, who have been homeschooling for ten years or more. All say that they take breaks when it’s nice outside. Because no one wants to be stuck inside when the weather is amazing. Perhaps it’s spring and you are itching to plant a garden. Then do it! Planting a garden is an amazing learning experience for your kids. Get outside! If you’re feeling overly guilty about taking a break just because it’s nice outside. Then try moving your homeschool outside or, saving that extra work for the rainy days of summer.

You are the only one that can truly speak on behalf of your family and your homeschool. I would say follow your gut. If you feel like school just isn’t a good idea for a day, then take a break. Maybe you feel like you should still be working on some form of school. Then read some books, do an interest based learning unit. Like our Special Interest Units.

You don’t need to overwork yourself and your kids while simultaneously draining yourself of everything just because you don’t want to feel guilty for taking a day or two, or even a week off of school. Taking a homeschool break is ok to do sometimes. So, go for it!

Homeschool Mom Self-Care

Guest Blog by Rebecca Miller

In the last few years, self-care has become an internet buzz-word. The word itself tends to conjure visions of bubble baths, manicures and spa days. Oftentimes, self-care seems like just another chore on an endless list of jobs that exhausted mothers are expected to complete. We can feel added pressure to make sure we are fitting in yet one more thing. As homeschool mamas, we have so much on our plates. After taking care of our household, our children and our jobs. So how can we be expected to prioritize a pedicure? But what if self-care, as in real self-care, doesn’t look like that at all? What does self-care look like as a homeschool mom?

What is Self Care?

Self-care is something all of us practice daily, or at least we should practice daily. Self-care includes brushing our teeth, fuelling our bodies with food and water. And believe it or not, even paying bills can be a form of self-care. Essentially, self-care is taking care of your whole self. You whole self including, physically, emotionally, socially, practically and spiritually. When all areas of our lives are in balance, it helps us have a general sense of wellness. Alternatively, when one or more of these areas is lacking, we can often feel rundown, tired, stressed or depressed. These feelings are ones that you want to avoid, which is why homeschool mom self-care is especially important.

What Self-Care is Not

Self-care is not just about pampering yourself. Because even things that feel awkward and uncomfortable can be forms of self-care. For example: Setting boundaries, washing dishes, and even having a difficult conversation can be considered self-care. Because these will benefit you in the future, despite the fact that they are not enjoyable in the moment. Contrary to popular belief, the term “Self-Care” doesn’t mean selfish. As a parent, it can be extremely difficult and guilt-inducing to practice self-care in the beginning. For people who have been raised to be people pleasers, it can feel uncomfortable and strange to put themselves first. I have personally felt the “mom guilt” creep in when I have taken much needed time for myself to recharge.

Self-care does not have to cost money.

There are plenty of activities that can fill your bucket without affecting your wallet. If you are just starting your self-care regimen. And are finding it difficult to put yourself first, you are not alone. A helpful tip for keeping guilt at bay, is to reframe your self-care in a way that benefits your children. For me, I know that I have much more patience when I am well-rested. So I tell myself “this nap will benefit the kids, because I will have more patience when I am not tired.” When I know that my actions are benefitting my kids, it can help quiet that inner critic. Which makes homeschool mom self-care so much more obtainable.

Why is Homeschool Mom Self-Care Important?

Self-Care is important for everyone, especially during the uncertain times we are facing during the pandemic. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 38% of Canadians say their mental health has declined due to Covid-19. Reports of anxiety and depression have risen in both children and their parents during the pandemic. Self-care is about taking care of your health so you can be the best version of yourself. It also helps you be the best parent you can be for your kids. The fact is, parents who are well-rested and have full buckets, have more and tend to be more optimistic than those who are tired, stressed and emotionally depleted.

Is it selfish?

While it may feel selfish to take time for yourself. It’s especially important, because showing our kids that we are prioritizing our health, can help them grow into adults that will do the same. We already know that kids tend to mimic what we do, rather than what we say. Therefore if we are constantly neglect ourselves, while telling our kids that they need to make healthy choices, they are likely to think, “well mom doesn’t do that, why should I?” However, when our kids see us taking time to sit and enjoy a cup of tea or read a book, they begin to think “Ok, this is what mom does to recharge.” This is especially true when we include our kids in the conversation. Because even young children can understand when you say, “Mama is really tired right now. I am going to lay here on the couch while you watch your show. I am resting my body so I can have more energy to play with you later!” And while little ones may not catch on right away, in time they will begin to normalize self-care as well.

When I was growing up.

When I was growing up, I remember how hard my mom worked keeping the house tidy, making meals and taking care of the household. I don’t remember her taking time to relax or care for herself. When I became a Mom, that image stuck with me, and I felt that I needed to be that way as well. Unfortunately, as many of us find out, when I neglected myself, I had little to give anyone else. Can you relate?It took years for me to get over this false idea that I needed to put myself last. It really is something that so many of us are conditioned to believe is true. Once you can put down those ideas, you will find it easier to practice self-care.

Let me tell you a story

Last year I was working a lot at my job as a support worker. I was trying desperately to stockpile funds for Christmas, so I was taking on lots of extra shifts. I knew from experience that it was going to be hard on me mentally, so I made sure to schedule time to refill my bucket. One day I came home from work to find that my oldest daughter had taken every single article of clothing out of her closet and thrown it around her room. There were clothes and toys everywhere. In my line of work, they teach us that all behaviour is communication. So I knew that my daughter was trying to communicate with me. My initial instinct was to get upset about the huge mess, but because my bucket was full, I was able to approach the situation in a much different way. So, instead of reacting with anger, I was able to step back and realize my daughter needed something from me. And this was her way of telling me that she did. I asked my daughter, “What’s up, kiddo?” and invited her to help me reorganize her closet as we talked.

Remaining calm changed the situation.

I am not sharing this story because I want a pat on the back. Alternatively, I’m sharing this story because the truth is, if I hadn’t prioritized self-care, my reaction would have likely been very different. I don’t think I could have remained calm and thoughtful if I was at the end of my rope. Through sharing this story, I want you to know that by putting yourself first sometimes, you are also doing what is best for your family. Homeschool mom self-care is so important.

Finding Time for Homeschool Mom Self-Care.

Treating self-care as a priority is key. Some homeschool moms wake up before their kids so they can have 10-15 minutes of quiet time as they drink their coffee. Other homeschool moms stay up after their kids go to bed for the very same reason. Another option, depending on the ages of your children, is to tell them that you will be busy for a certain amount of time and they need to work on their schoolwork or activities independently. During this set time you can go for a walk, have a shower, or do whatever self-care activity you’d like. As long as it fills your bucket.

Another Option.

You can also practice self-care in the same room as your children. While your children are in the living room watching a movie, or playing with their toys, you can have your earbuds in while you sit with them, and listen to your favourite podcast!Scheduling self-care activities and treating them with the same importance as any other appointment, can really help as well. I have started blocking off times on the calendar for self-care so I don’t forget. The harsh reality is that we tend to find time for things that are a priority. When we say “I don’t have time” it simply means it is not a big enough priority.Therefore, putting self-care on the calendar is one way to make it part of your daily routine. Additionally, another way is to set reminders on your phone, to remind you that it’s time to take care of yourself. And you could also set an intention each morning to practice one (or more) self-care activities, depending on what you feel like doing that day. Let’s face it, some days organizing the closet feels more like a chore than self-care!

Where Do I Start With Homeschool Mom Self-Care?

The type of activities you choose as self-care will be entirely up to you. Based on your individual tastes and things that you enjoy. It’s really important not to judge your choices. If watching a silly video because it makes you feel good is self-care for you, then do that! No one is allowed to judge your form of self-care. Are you looking for ideas for homeschool mom self-care?

Here are some examples of homeschool mom self-care activities that don’t cost anything.

Self care examples:

Speak with a therapist
Talk to a friend
Go for a walk
Make healthy food choices
Take some alone time
Have a hot shower
Spend time in nature
Spend time with pets
Laugh
Move your body in a joyful way
Snuggle with your kids or significant other
Sit by the water
Journal
Meditate
Have a cup of tea
Listen to an uplifting podcast
Organize
Plan a real or imagined future trip
Look at funny memes
Go for a drive
Make a vision board
Paint
Sing

Important Reminder: Self-care doesn’t have to cost money and it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Whatever it is that makes you feel energized, joyful and healthy is your self-care. I’d love to hear your self-care ideas and strategies. And I want to encourage you that you’ve got this, Mama.

Schoolio Guest Blog

About Rebecca Miller:

Rebecca Miller is a seasoned homeschool mom of four children. She has a beautiful passion for delight driven, heart based learning. Rebecca’s goal is to inspire other home educating parents. While creating and fostering a supportive and inclusive community. We are so thankful for her contributions to the Schoolio Guest Blogs!

You can learn more about Rebecca and Heart Based Homeschoolers on her website: www.heartbasedhomeschoolers.ca

Homeschool Mom Self-Care

Guest Blog by Rebecca Miller

What is Self Care?

What Self-Care is Not

Contrary to popular belief, the term “Self-Care” doesn’t mean selfish. As a parent, it can be extremely difficult and guilt-inducing to practice self-care in the beginning. For people who have been raised to be people pleasers, it can feel uncomfortable and strange to put themselves first. I have personally felt the “mom guilt” creep in when I have taken much needed time for myself to recharge.

Self-care does not have to cost money.

There are plenty of activities that can fill your bucket without affecting your wallet.

If you are just starting your self-care regimen. And are finding it difficult to put yourself first, you are not alone. A helpful tip for keeping guilt at bay, is to reframe your self-care in a way that benefits your children. For me, I know that I have much more patience when I am well-rested. So I tell myself “this nap will benefit the kids, because I will have more patience when I am not tired.” When I know that my actions are benefitting my kids, it can help quiet that inner critic. Which makes homeschool mom self-care so much more obtainable.

Why is Homeschool Mom Self-Care Important?

Self-care is about taking care of your health so you can be the best version of yourself. It also helps you be the best parent you can be for your kids. The fact is, parents who are well-rested and have full buckets, have more and tend to be more optimistic than those who are tired, stressed and emotionally depleted.

Is it selfish?

However, when our kids see us taking time to sit and enjoy a cup of tea or read a book, they begin to think “Ok, this is what mom does to recharge.” This is especially true when we include our kids in the conversation. Because even young children can understand when you say, “Mama is really tired right now. I am going to lay here on the couch while you watch your show. I am resting my body so I can have more energy to play with you later!” And while little ones may not catch on right away, in time they will begin to normalize self-care as well.

When I was growing up.

It took years for me to get over this false idea that I needed to put myself last. It really is something that so many of us are conditioned to believe is true. Once you can put down those ideas, you will find it easier to practice self-care.

Let me tell you a story

One day I came home from work to find that my oldest daughter had taken every single article of clothing out of her closet and thrown it around her room. There were clothes and toys everywhere. In my line of work, they teach us that all behaviour is communication. So I knew that my daughter was trying to communicate with me. My initial instinct was to get upset about the huge mess, but because my bucket was full, I was able to approach the situation in a much different way.

So, instead of reacting with anger, I was able to step back and realize my daughter needed something from me. And this was her way of telling me that she did. I asked my daughter, “What’s up, kiddo?” and invited her to help me reorganize her closet as we talked.

Remaining calm changed the situation.

Finding Time for Homeschool Mom Self-Care.

Another option, depending on the ages of your children, is to tell them that you will be busy for a certain amount of time and they need to work on their schoolwork or activities independently. During this set time you can go for a walk, have a shower, or do whatever self-care activity you’d like. As long as it fills your bucket.

Another Option.

Scheduling self-care activities and treating them with the same importance as any other appointment, can really help as well. I have started blocking off times on the calendar for self-care so I don’t forget. The harsh reality is that we tend to find time for things that are a priority. When we say “I don’t have time” it simply means it is not a big enough priority.

Therefore, putting self-care on the calendar is one way to make it part of your daily routine. Additionally, another way is to set reminders on your phone, to remind you that it’s time to take care of yourself. And you could also set an intention each morning to practice one (or more) self-care activities, depending on what you feel like doing that day. Let’s face it, some days organizing the closet feels more like a chore than self-care!

Where Do I Start With Homeschool Mom Self-Care?

Here are some examples of homeschool mom self-care activities that don’t cost anything.

Self care examples:

Speak with a therapist
Talk to a friend
Go for a walk
Make healthy food choices
Take some alone time
Have a hot shower
Spend time in nature
Spend time with pets
Laugh
Move your body in a joyful way
Snuggle with your kids or significant other
Sit by the water
Journal
Meditate
Have a cup of tea
Listen to an uplifting podcast
Organize
Plan a real or imagined future trip
Look at funny memes
Go for a drive
Make a vision board
Paint
Sing

Schoolio Guest Blog

About Rebecca Miller:

You can learn more about Rebecca and Heart Based Homeschoolers on her website: www.heartbasedhomeschoolers.ca

The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling

In the last blog we covered the major ‘don’ts’ of homeschooling. The things that you should try to avoid at all costs, if you want to be a successful homeschooling parent. If you haven’t already read it, you can find it here: 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling. Today we are covering The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling! Let’s jump right into the homeschool veteran approved, 20 Do’s of Homeschooling. With the goal to help you be a successful homeschool parent.

The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling

1. Do Take Care of Yourself First.

This is the number 1 ‘Do’ of The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling because it’s imperative that you take care of yourself, first. I get it. You think that’s selfish. But I can assure you that it’s not. Taking care of yourself before you take care of everyone and everything else is essential to the well-being of your family. And also the success of your homeschooling journey. A homeschool mom that cares for herself, is a happy, healthy mama. What are some ways that you can take care of yourself today?

Here are some quick and simple care tips for the busy mom:

Carve out a chunk of time to read your favourite book.
Enjoy a hot drink on the park bench as your kids play at the park.
Wake up early (before everyone) and sit outside with the rising sun.
Talk to someone that lifts you up.
Take a walk.

2. Do Find Your People.

Have you found them yet? Your tribe? Your team of people that just get you, help you and guide you? Every mom needs an encouraging, supportive community. Finding those people that can be your cheerleaders, your encouragers, and even your advisors. Will benefit you and your family hugely. That doesn’t mean that you are seeking out the people that will constantly pour into you while you offer nothing in return. Rather you are looking for the people that will offer something special in your life, while you offer them your gifts in return. An equal friendship.

3. Do Eliminate Toxic Relationships.

Do you have someone in your life that is constantly dragging you down? Perhaps your old friends group is completely against your homeschooling decisions? Now every time you have a conversation with them, you feel like you’re a failure and a mess. You don’t need that kind of negativity. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you are eliminating them from your life completely.

Perhaps these friendships were once abundant and life giving. In this situation, instead of eliminating the friendship, you can put a pause on the relationship until you and the other person are in a better place to revisit the friendship. Your focus cannot be on negative interactions at this time. Because right now you need to focus on cultivating a healthy, wholesome, and positive education for your children.

4. Do Keep Things Simple.

Sometimes as homeschooling parents we can be our own worst enemy. Are you constantly assuming that you aren’t doing enough as a homeschooling parent? Do you have that ever present urge to add more curriculum? More practice sheets? And more structure? Unfortunately, sometimes as homeschooling moms we can become addicted to adding more to our homeschool. Do you want the cold, hard truth? All these extra events, lessons, and workbooks are actually doing absolutely nothing for your homeschool. In fact, they’re doing the opposite. When you are constantly adding in more, you are inevitably overwhelming your homeschool and causing a high level of unproductively.

5. Do Cut the Extras.

Number 5 of the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling goes along with number 4. Because maybe you’ve already added a bunch more to your homeschool? Maybe it’s way more than you actually need? Now you’re feeling the heavy weight of overwhelm? So, go ahead and cut out all the extras. Seriously, do it! Shave down your curriculum to the very basics, as least just for a time. Do less, but do it best. The truth is, less is more.

6. Do Read Aloud.

Reading to your children has many benefits. Some of them being that it improves concentration and vocabulary. While also building their self esteem. Reading to your child can also help them develop their own reading skills. But one of the best benefits of reading to your children? The fact that this simple act helps to build relationships. You can learn more about this here: 12 Reasons Why It’s Important to Read to Your Children – Caribu.

7. Do Snuggle and Hug Often.

Homeschooling grants the opportunity to connect with your children even more. Even just rubbing their back while they work through their math problems is such a gift. So, be sure to take advantage of all the extra hugs and special moments you can share.

8. Do Include Fun In Your Homeschool.

There’s nothing wrong with adding fun and games to your homeschool. Unfortunately there’s this misconception around education. And that is this idea that if your child is having fun, they clearly aren’t learning. While as of late, this twisted idea is phasing out. It’s important to take action and sprinkle fun into your homeschool. Take a break from books, and add in some fun games! Pinterest is flourishing with fun homeschool games that your kids will love. So go find some that your family loves and utilize them.

9. Do Be the Boss of Your Schedule.

Are you trapped in the mindset that your schedule must look like the public school’s calendar? Or that your schedule must appear like that of your super organized homeschool friends calendar? Snap out of it! Aim to have a daily routine that suits your family, not someone else’s. Check out these simple ways to establish a good homeschool routine: Establish a Good Homeschool Routine.

10. Do Take a Break From Homeschooling.

Homeschooling takes a huge mental effort. Due to that effort, it can lead to burn out quickly. So, aim to take scheduled breaks throughout the year. If you find yourself in between homeschool breaks, and you are tired and burnt out. Take a day or two off to reset. They’re called mental health days, and they’re always vital. Especially when you’re feeling like a train wreck. So, take a break and reset.

During this time your kids can play educational games, or watch educational shows. Actually the other day I saw a post in a homeschool group about a mom laying on the couch as she was so sick. And she said she had moved her homeschool to the living room. Her post gave the idea that she was still teaching, even though she was very ill. And while I have to admire her determination. I also want to point out that you as a homeschooling parent, are entitled to a day off. Especially if you’re sick. So, please do take a break from homeschooling should you need it.

11. Do Look At the World Through Your Child’s Eyes.

It’s so important to value what your child values. When you pay close and careful attention to what matters to your child, they will begin to also pay close attention to what you share with them. It’s so important to remember that what is valuable to your child matters. Everything about your child is important. Their ideas, and creations, their work, their interests, their stories. They’re valuable. So, listen.

12. Do Celebrate All Accomplishments.

You should always focus on what your child is doing right. So much more than what they are doing wrong. When you focus on all the good that they do, they will continually aim to do greater. If your child writes a sight word, but spells it incorrectly. Don’t immediately correct their mistakes. Instead, comment on what an amazing job they did writing the letter ‘b’. Include the phrase “You did such a great job!” frequently. Doing so builds their self-esteem and helps them have enthusiasm to continually improve.

13. Do Remind Yourself That You Are Not Behind!

Homeschooling should run at your families own pace! It’s also important to remember that when you are working at your child’s own unique pace, it’s impossible to fall behind. Read that again. It can be so hard to stay out of the comparison trap and assume that your child is behind. But they aren’t. They are working at the pace that they need to. And you are doing an amazing job helping them with that.

14. Do Place Importance On Personal Growth.

Do your children see you constantly aiming to be a better version of yourself? Spending time in the morning reading, investing in personal development, or listening to positive affirmations? All of these are going to help you keep your head above water and own the person that you are meant to be.

Personal development is extremely important for you. And also just as important for your children. Including important lessons about mental health, and ways to take care of their mental health is so important in the younger years. Encourage your child to constantly work at taking care of their mental health just like they take care of their physical health.

Use The Emotional Health Management unit to help teach your children about their mental health, and ways to cope when things get tough.

15. Do Listen to Podcasts and Read Books.

Podcasts are just such an amazing part of our digital world, that so many people don’t even use! So many of my friends don’t even know how to listen to podcasts, but it’s so simple. Your phone should have a podcasting app on it. Like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. All you have to do is open the app, then in the search box, look for podcasts that speak to you. Like ‘Parenting Podcasts’, ‘Homeschooling Podcasts’, ‘Genuine Mom Podcasts’, or ‘Personal Development Podcasts’. Listen to some episodes and then subscribe to the ones that you like the most. Then that amazing content will be added to your phone whenever they release a new podcast. And, it’s FREE!

Additionally, finding books to help you in every area of your life is essential. I really prefer podcasts because it’s so much easier for me to listen then it is for me to sit down and read. However, there are some amazing apps like Audible, available. Where you can purchase and download a book that will be read to you. You can make a list of books that you’d like to read, then one by one check them off the list when you’ve completed each one.

Pro tip: Subscribe to helpful blogs like The Schoolio Blog, to read amazing blogs like “The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling”.

16. Do Expect to Make Mistakes.

No one is immune to mistakes. Because perfection doesn’t exist. If you’ve chosen the wrong curriculum for your family, or you’ve neglected a certain area of study. Just know that we all make mistakes, and that’s OK. Don’t get stuck there.

17. Do Give Yourself Credit.

You are homeschooling your kids. What? Do you ever just think about that. Was this in your original life plan? No? But look! You’re doing it. You aren’t perfect, but you’re trying. And you’re doing such a great job. We often don’t give ourselves enough credit which is why it’s essential for you to give yourself credit for all that you’re doing right. Instead of always focusing on all that you’re doing wrong.

18. Do Make Goofy Memories.

I don’t want my kids to remember their time homeschooling as a time where their mom was constantly forcing them to answer math problems. Instead I want my kids to remember this time with fond memories. Are bad days going to happen? Absolutely. But my hope is that the good days are the ones implanted in their memories forever. The days when we painted the playhouse outside, or had a food fight at dinner. You’ve assumed the role of their educational teacher, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave fun mom on the curb. Bring fun mom with you, even when you’re doing Language Arts.

19. Do Understand That You Will Have Some Haters.

Homeschooling isn’t for everyone, just like traditional education isn’t for everyone. Will you have people constantly asking why your children aren’t in school? Yep. Will you have that one family member that is always telling you that your kids should be in school? You bet! Is someone going to constantly be asking your kids math questions to measure how behind they are? Probably. Despite the fact that homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last 5 years. It still is looked down on by so many. Because people often don’t like that which they cannot understand.

It’s not your job to make them love homeschooling. And it’s not your job to prove yourself to them. It is your job to love your kids, to educate your kids, and to give your kids a safe environment to learn and grow. Forget the haters.

20. Do Know That One Day You Will Be Thankful For This Sacrifice.

Homeschooling is a sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice of your time, your own freedom, and often your mental sanity. Not many people can do what you’re doing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself or verbally stated to my husband that I should just put the kids in school. It seems so easy, watching the kids leave on the bus, and knowing that someone else is covering their academic lessons. Sometimes I think about how freeing it would be to just have whole days to myself to work and maybe clean the house. But then I remember that I’m doing this for them. I remember that my children need this extra one-on-one time with me. My children wouldn’t excel in a class with 30 other children crammed in desks and herded outside for recess. I have to remind myself that my children are receiving a wholesome education, that is tailored to their needs.

And while the sacrifice is great, the reward will be incredible. Not just for them, but for me also. Because I get to keep these memories forever.

We hope that you enjoyed the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling. Don’t forget to check out the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling (linked above). What was your favourite ‘Do’ of the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling?

20 Don’ts of Homeschooling

Is there some magical way to become a better homeschooling parent? Well, learning the right way to do something and the wrong way are both important. We’ve compiled a list of things you don’t want to do as a homeschooling parent. So, let’s jump to the 20 Don’ts of homeschooling. Created and approved by veteran homeschool parents that know what they’re talking about.

The 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling

1. Don’t Overwork and Overwhelm Your Kids.

Keep your lessons short, sweet, and simple. Many homeschoolers think that they need to cram in an abundance of ‘work’ during school time. In order to keep up with traditional education. Don’t do this. When you overwork your kids with workbooks and lessons. It can actually overstimulate them and cause them to become overly frustrated with their education. When you choose to overwhelm and overwork your kids, you are undeniably choosing stress for them. And that stress is a quick step to a learning block. So, don’t do that.

2. Don’t Over Schedule.

Homeschooling in itself takes up a huge part of your day. Additionally, the default homeschool parent is often the one that is also responsible for housework, and for some, working from home too. Therefore you should always aim to keep your family’s schedule light. Society has this way of making us believe that if our kids aren’t in ballet, ice skating, gymnastics, basketball, hockey or some other extracurricular activity. That they won’t be on the same level as their peers. That’s false. While it can be nice to have those extra activities, it’s vital to protect the schedule. Perhaps your child is extremely talented in one area and you want to cultivate that – that’s totally fine. I’m not saying you should give up on all extra activities. But, over scheduling with activities that they probably don’t even enjoy? What’s the point? Stop over scheduling. Aim for a simple schedule instead.

3. Don’t Overwhelm Yourself.

Number 3 of the 20 Are you the type of parent that is quick to cut up your 9 year olds waffle for him? Stop. Let your child learn how to be independent. Doing so by allowing them the opportunity to actually accomplish tasks on their own. When it comes to class work, are you sharpening the pencils? Are you sitting at the table for hours while your child finishes each question of their lessons? Don’t do that! There’s a reason this is number three on the 20 don’ts of homeschooling. Because it’s important.

If your child is old enough, implement checklists for homework. This can look like ‘Today you need to complete pages 90 – 93 of your Language Arts.” If you know that it’s just practice work, and you don’t necessarily need to teach them directly. Then allowing them to use a checklist to complete these tasks is an amazing habit to get them, and yourself into. Teaching your kids to be independent is one of your greatest goals as a parent, so aim to reach it!

20 dDon’ts of Homeschooling pro tip for teaching multiple grades: Click Here

4. Don’t Compare Yourself.

Please, please, don’t compare yourself to other parents. Don’t compare yourself to other homeschool parents. Above all, don’t ever compare your child to another child. Doing so will just create a complex in their mind and put them on the comparison path for the rest of their life. Rather you should remind yourself that your kids are unique, you are unique, and your homeschool is a reflection of that. Everyone is going to be a little different. And, every homeschool is going to look a little different.

5. Don’t Tear Other Homeschoolers Down.

This is just as important as being sure not to compare yourself to other homeschooling parents. You should never, ever criticize someone else’s homeschooling style. Why? Because you really never know when their style will become your own. Homeschooling changes, constantly.

As your children grow, your homeschool changes. You’ll find different ways that work best for your children. Often (most) times one way of learning will be great for one of your kids and absolutely not for your other kid. It’s easy when you first start homeschooling to assume that you are going to continue to homeschool in that specific way forever. But, you won’t. Your homeschool will change and evolve. A homeschooling style that seemed to be totally foreign and off the rails for you, just might become the style that you end up gravitating towards one day.

It’s also just really important that we should never criticize another individual whether behind their back or to their face. It’s not kind. This is especially true for homeschooling families. Rather than criticizing, we should be supporting them while also learning from them. Homeschool families need to stick together, whether your styles mesh or not.

6. Don’t be Afraid to Experiment.

This is why it’s also so important not to criticize other homeschooling styles. Because it’s paramount for you to find your own style, schedule and even curriculum that works best for your family. Changing things up is a great option when things are getting messy and no one seems to be enjoying the homeschooling journey. Please don’t be afraid to change things up!

7. Don’t Imitate a Public School Classroom.

It’s totally fine to have a schedule, we aren’t saying that everyone should just jump to unschooling. But listen, if that’s your jam than obviously – do it! The point is, you don’t want to get tied up by an unrealistic schedule. It can be hard to wrap your mind around what an alternative educational model can look like when you’re accustomed to the public school model alone.

8. Don’t Feel That You Need to Cover It All.

You don’t need to jump into every subject the first day, week, or even month. Homeschooling is often a really big adjustment for the whole family. So instead, you should give your family and yourself time to get familiar with your learning content and routine. Focus on one or two core subjects, and sprinkle in something that your child really loves! This could be art, music, physical education, or even a nature study. As time goes on, you can start to sprinkle in the other subjects.

9. Don’t Cram It All Into One Day.

I feel like I’ve said this before. But that’s fine. I’ll say it again, especially for the 20 don’ts of homeschooling. Because it’s an important point that needs to be recognized. You do not need to do Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, French, Arts and Music all in one day. Schools don’t even do that! When you choose to homeschool in this way, your child can’t properly grasp all the concepts that they should be grasping.

It’s so much better if you choose one or maybe 2 subjects per day. Take time to really dive into them. Look up neat videos to go along with your lessons. Check out library books, do research together. Find different ways to teach a certain concept. And then reiterate the lesson using different styles (on different days). You can do this until you’ve figured out the unique way that your child learns at this time. Notice I said “at this time”, because their learning style will change.

10. Don’t Belittle Your Children.

This really is just a general tip for parenting. But we can cross it into homeschooling as well. If your child is trying to dig deeper into a topic, or is struggling with something and trying to tell you that they are. Don’t ignore that. Never assume that it’s just ‘them’. And belittle them into getting the work done. Never belittle your children, period. Adding onto that, just please never belittle your children in the name of getting them to accomplish their school work. It’s not worth it, and can and will have lasting negative effects on their lives.

11. Don’t Be a Taskmaster.

I get it. You want to get all the work done so you can enjoy an amazing winter break with no school work, just holiday music playing and cookies baking in the oven. Regardless of that goal, you should never turn yourself into a taskmaster on behalf of trying to have your children reach their goals on the timeline that you have created. You don’t want to get to the point where your children think of school as yet another chore they must accomplish. And, you don’t want your child to look at you and think ‘Now what does she want me to do?’. I know you want to aim to get it all done, and quickly. But that kind of crammed learning isn’t learning. It’s chaos. So don’t do it.

12. Don’t Force a School Day.

Did your kids wake up with runny noses and they’re complaining of sore throats? Are your children just really tired from a busy weekend? Maybe you’re feeling exhausted and needing a break? Then take one. You don’t need to force a school day just because you saw the school bus go by the window outside. Because your child will not fall behind because you took a breather. Forcing school on a day that you know no one will want to participate will really cause more frustration than good.

13. Don’t Teach When You’re Frustrated.

DON’T TEACH WHEN YOU’RE FRUSTRATED. This ‘don’t‘ of the 20 don’ts of homeschooling is really, really important so I had to write it twice. Never teach when you’re frustrated. As a homeschooling parent you will still have life to deal with on top of homeschool. Sometimes you can be teaching a simple lesson of math, the day seems to be going great. Then all of a sudden your youngest comes in with a suspicious grin.

You hear a weird sound and notice water running down the hallway. Suddenly, you come to the horrific realization that while you were happily teaching math to your older child. Your younger child tried to dump their crayons in the toilet. Now there’s a flood down the hallway and you probably need to call a plumber. Ok, Math is done for the day. The frustration you’re feeling in that moment will only come out in your teaching style.

Even if you think you can suffocate the feelings, you can’t. It’ll come out in your body language. If you know you are frustrated, avoid teaching until you’ve gotten yourself into a better headspace. That doesn’t mean you should give up on the lesson for the day. It means you refocus, regroup, and come back to it when you’re more relaxed and able.

14. Don’t Add More Curriculum.

It’s tempting, when you’re walking by the piles of curriculum books at Costco to think ‘Oh this would be great practice work!’. You don’t need to do that. As homeschoolers we are constantly feeling like we need to do ‘more’. Or like our kids aren’t learning or doing enough. So, this feeling of ‘adding more’ just continually pops up. Your child did their Science lesson quickly and didn’t fuss? Does that mean you should add more practice? Make it harder for them? Absolutely not! Learning doesn’t need to be crammed in there, and difficult. It should be simple, fun, relaxing and engaging. Finding that balance will make a world of difference.

15. Don’t Fall For Homeschool Parental Guilt.

You are doing enough. And your kids are learning enough. Also, your home is clean enough. And your kids are eating healthy enough. We love to torture ourselves with these ideas that we just aren’t enough. Or like someone else is doing it better, so why can’t I? Stop! Turn the switch off when it comes to homeschool parental guilt. It literally ally gets you nowhere. Your kids really are learning enough, and you are truly doing such a good job. There’s no room for parental guilt, because you are totally filled up with positive affirmations on how awesome you are.

16. Don’t Assume That Your Kids Are Behind.

They aren’t. Your kids are right where they’re supposed to be. Let go of this idea that your child needs to be in the standard for their age group. Your child is unique and their learning style reflects that. Maybe your child is 9 years old but is reading at a grade 2 level. That’s ok. Your child isn’t behind, they don’t need to catch up. Just move along at the pace that works for your child and yourself. Then all the pieces will fall into place when they’re supposed to.

17. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help.

It’s so good to ask for help and support when you need it. This doesn’t mean that you aren’t strong enough to be a homeschooling parent.

18. Don’t Worry About Messing Up as a Homeschool Parent.

Life is messy! Literally everyone messes up sometimes. Some people just clean it up faster or hide it better. If you’ve messed up as a homeschool parent, learn from that mistake and move forward.

19. Don’t Get Stuck in the Oops!

If you did mess up, or loose your temper, or taught your kid the wrong concept. Don’t get stuck in the mistake. Look at it as a learning opportunity for you too! When you’ve mad a mistake, own it. Take ownership of your mistake, apologize, and strategize how to move forward in a positive way.

20. Don’t Underestimate Yourself.

You are more than capable of teaching your children. Be proud of the choice that you’ve made. Embrace the unknowns, and work diligently towards the future. Because you are capable of accomplishing some really, really amazing things. I’m so proud of you, and I hope that you are too! The very fact that you are searching out ways to be an amazing homeschooling parent, like reading the 20 don’ts of homeschooling, speaks volumes. Don’t cut yourself short, ok?

Did you enjoy the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling? Stay tuned for the 20 Do’s of Homeschooling, coming soon!

Do you have any ‘don’ts’ to add to the 20 Don’ts of Homeschooling? Let us know!

Should You Quit Homeschooling?

Have you ever felt the untameable feeling that you should just give up on homeschooling your kids? Maybe it’s the frustration from always trying to get your kids to do their math? Mixed with exhaustion, and guilt about how you should be doing more for them? All these feelings have mixed together to make a cocktail of negative feelings about giving up on your homeschool. So, should you quit homeschooling? Or should you investigate further to see what the deeper issue is? And how to help it? Let’s find out.

Remember, homeschooling can be a challenge.

Let’s not sugar coat it. While it’s true that anyone can homeschool, the fact is that it still can be an exhausting venture. One that will drain you, while simultaneously filling you up. There’s really nothing like it. Sometimes homeschool parents will look at all they have to accomplish in a day and think ‘Why? Why am I torturing myself with all this extra work?’ So, why are you doing it? Should you quit homeschooling? Let’s investigate further.

Should you quit homeschooling? 5 questions to identify.

It’s important to ask yourself a series of questions when contemplating whether or not to give up on homeschooling.

Question 1: Is this still benefiting my family?

Despite the tough days, is this still the best education plan for your family?

Question 2: Are you just facing some bad days?

Our minds like to focus on the negative. Are you dwelling on the tough times more than the good? Dwelling on the negative can lead you to believe that things are worse than they actually are. Are they just experiencing some bad homeschool days? Or is your whole homeschooling system actually not working for your family?

Question 3: Are your kids still benefiting from homeschool?

Think about your kids, are they thriving off of their home learning plan? Or are they struggling with it? Don’t just think about the bad days and how your children did on those days. You need to also remember the good days, and how your children thrive during those times. Let me ask you again, are your kids still benefiting from homeschool?

Question 4: Do you want to make this work?

You can’t mess with a determined parent. Are you still determined to educate your kids at home? Then those feelings of wanting to quit homeschooling are temporary. And aren’t aligned with what you really do think is best for your family.

Question 5: Are your kids learning?

Chances are that’s a yes. Homeschooled children learn in such unique ways. Because they have the opportunity to learn the way that they need to. While not being rushed to master concepts in a timeline that isn’t their own. Are your kids learning?

If you answered yes to most or all of the questions, (or even just one of these questions) then I’d say that you’re on the right track. We all struggle sometimes with homeschooling and just parenting in general. Occasionally, we may feel the intense feelings of wanting to give up.

Despite the overwhelm, are you determined to make homeschooling work? Yes? Then let’s take a look at some things you need to do to get back in the right mind-set for homeschooling.

You need to: Remember your reason why.

Why are you homeschooling? What’s the reason behind the decision to take on such a huge challenge? Is it perhaps the desire to provide your child with a better education? Or maybe your child needs a little more one on one education time? Are you keeping your child home due to the pandemic? Or maybe school anxiety has become too overwhelming for them? Whatever your why is, it’s valid and it matters. Year ago, when I first started homeschooling my kids, I remember someone telling me that I was doing it because I was being selfish. Selfish? How? I took time to investigate those claims. And the more I thought about it, the more bitter I became about their response. They believed that I wanted more time with my kids, therefore I was being selfish by keeping them home with me. I remember those accusations leaving me utterly overwhelmed. Could I be selfish for making this choice? I let their idea of what my ‘why’ was, interfere with my actual reason why.

I look back on those claims now and shake my head. Homeschooling because you’re selfish with your child’s time? Come on! That’s not even slightly realistic. Homeschooling parents are far from selfish. On the contrary, homeschooling parents are the ones that are giving up their free time, and so much more. Homeschooling parent have to learn how to balance their children’s education, parenting, home life, relationships, social lives, and work. That’s not selfish. That’s strength. Dwelling on the words of someone with a negative opinion will only bring you down and cause you to doubt your decisions. Finding your why is important, but equally important is not allowing other people to distract you with their unrealistic ideas of why they think you are homeschooling.

Let’s recap this point: Find your why, and don’t allow others to tell you what they think your why is.

You need to: Note your surroundings and circumstances.

Generally, the feelings of overwhelm and frustration when it comes to homeschooling stems from frustrations regarding your current circumstances and environment. Did you read the November Homeschooling Slump blog? If you didn’t, check it out here. There are certain times of the year when homeschool parents report feeling like they’re in a slump. A combination of the shorter days, prepping for the holidays, and the excitement of the new school year being gone, has led you to a slump. Occasionally, when you’re caught in a homeschooling slump you may feel like giving up on homeschool. Should you quit homeschooling? When you start to question if you should quit homeschooling, it’s really important to note your surroundings and circumstances.

Are you in a slump? Is your family experiencing a little bit of cabin fever from the shorter days and less activities? These can all lead to moments of questioning what you’re doing. It’s important to take a look at your surroundings and circumstances and remember that these things will pass, before deciding if you should quit homeschooling.

You need to: Identify why you’re feeling this way.

Once you’ve taken the time to properly observe your surroundings and circumstances, you can properly assess why you’re feeling this way. Do you genuinely not like homeschooling? Or are these feelings a result of that slump you’re in? Identifying why you’re experiencing these big feelings can be crucial in navigating your way through it.

You need to: Remember why you started in the first place.

Now that you know why you started homeschooling in the first place, dig deeper into it. Write it down. Grab a notebook. Then pencil in all the reasons you chose to homeschool your children. We can become so caught up between workbooks, grading, our children’s attitudes, and outside activities. That we lose sight of our initial joy for home-learning. That lack of joy leads us to thoughts like: ‘Should you quit homeschooling?’

You need to: Maybe get a new why?

Sometimes our lives change, our family situation changes, and our circumstances and surroundings change. Often times the greatest changes will be from our children. They’re constantly growing and changing into the people that they will become. Perhaps your reason for homeschooling is no longer valid. So adopt a new reason why. You will more than likely think of a new reason why in no time.

You need to: Set your biggest struggle subject aside for a week.

Yep, you read that right! Is your child struggling with Language Arts? Put it away for one week. In its place, add in something interest based for them instead. Watch how this simple reset can help your child refocus.

You need to: Chat with experienced homeschooling parents who have been where you are.

There will always be people that have gone before you. And there will always be someone who has gone through roughly the same experiences as you. Chatting with these experienced (veteran) homeschoolers can help when you’re feeling frustration and despair regarding your homeschool. Even if they don’t offer a huge mountain of advice. It can often help lift your spirits just by chatting with someone. So, don’t be afraid to reach out and talk with some veteran homeschoolers. Their wisdom may just be what you need to keep going.

You need to: Drop those comparisons.

Comparing yourself to another homeschool family will only cause a mountain of grief and frustration for yourself and your kids. Alternatively, comparing yourself to a family whose child is in traditional learning is just a bad idea. The point is: Don’t compare yourself or your family to any other family. Whether homeschooling or not. It’s a recipe for disaster. When you spend time focusing on how your homeschool should look like someone else’s. Or how your child needs to be learning the same concepts and at the same pace as another person’s child. You’re missing the whole point of homeschool. See, you and your family are unique. And, your homeschool reflects that. So, please don’t get caught up in the comparison game.

You need to: Change Your Homeschool Path.

Has your homeschool always been traditional? But now one of your learners seems to be benefiting from an unschooled learning method? It’s OK to change things up. Sometimes we get stuck in this idea that we must continue homeschooling the way we began. But it’s really important to remember that things change. If you feel that you need to change up your homeschool a little to better suit your learners, schedule or yourself. That is OK. Changing the plan doesn’t equal failing. Changing the plan can actually be good for your kids and yourself. If you’re finding that your child just isn’t thriving off of your current homeschooling methods, then experiment with other methods of learning and see what happens.

You need to: Stop Homeschooling.

Wait! Hold on! I don’t mean forever. I mean stop and take a break. No one likes the idea of falling behind when it comes to homeschool. We are all aiming for the spring weather when we can put the books on the shelves and run outside in the fresh spring flowers. Even so, you won’t fall drastically behind if you just take a week or two to reset. Often times when the homeschool mama is feeling like quitting, it’s because the homeschool mama is tired, drained and overworked. Taking a week off to take care of yourself will be beneficial for everyone. Let your kids play legos, or draw pictures while you spend some time reading a book. Taking these little breaks from the routine homeschool life can really help to regain your focus, and get you and your family back on learning track.

You need to: Connect with your children.

Do your children dread the moment you say “Time for Math!”? Have you put your responsibilities as a homeschool teacher above your natural parental tendencies? It’s really important to reconnect with your children especially if you’ve found that you have been forcing the homeschool teacher role more than your natural born parenting role. Take some time to just hang out with your kids, without the pressure of workbooks or TV’s/iPads distracting them or you. It’s important to take time to just be the family that you were before you became a homeschool family.

You need to: Ditch the schedule.

I have to say, one of the main reasons that homeschool parents begin to feel that they want to quit is because they’re holding themselves up to these crazy expectations and schedules. While routine is obviously beneficial for both your kids and yourself. Sometimes we can become too consumed by the schedule and plans. Homeschooling is supposed to be different from traditional education. That’s why it’s called home schooling. Your education can now evolve around your home life. And you don’t need to snap everyone into an intense schedule to be able to help your children learn. Check out this blog about scheduling your homeschool for some excellent ideas on how to have a great homeschool routine.

You need to: Find Joy in Learning again.

Do you remember that moment when your child learned something new? And you actually saw it click in their mind? You saw light fill their eyes, and you knew in that moment that this is why you wanted to homeschool your children. Because you wanted to help your children have those moments of pure learning bliss. Perhaps you used to take long walks in the rain when their school work was much less in the younger years. During those walks, you would chat about the water cycle. But now you are just too busy trying to make sure all the workbooks are completed. Just remember, workbooks aren’t the only form of education. Aim to find joy in learning with your children again.

Educating your kids is an enormous task. But such an important undertaking. Sometimes when something is a big deal and really important to us, we sometimes feel like we are failing. And therefore assume that we must quit what we are doing. The reality is, things that are important to us are often hard. If this were easy, everyone would do it. So, don’t assume that just because you’ve had some tough days you should automatically just give up. This task is large, but it’s worth it. So, should you quit homeschooling?

Don’t give up. Keep going.

Check out this amazing article by a veteran homeschool mama, Jennifer.

What to Do When You Feel Like Quitting Homeschooling – The Deliberate Mom

Staying in the Moment as a Homeschool Mom

Staying in the Moment as a Homeschool Mom – Guest blog by Tawny Stowe

The idea of being in the moment has been on my mind a lot lately as I contemplate and experience the concepts of time. As a young adult I thought I had all the time in the world. I was certain I could reinvent myself a million times and I never felt committed to one aspect of who I was becoming because I viewed that there would always be more time. Now I find myself seeking out ways for staying in the moment as a homeschool mom.

My younger days.

I travelled the world as a backpacker carrying only what I could on my back. I lived in each moment knowing almost always it was my very first and last in any given spot. Sometimes the thoughts of what tomorrow would bring and where I would be next would creep into my mind. Especially in the beginning of my travelling adventures, the beautiful gift of being somewhere new often found me thinking about where I would be tomorrow. Then what was coming next, This then led me to missing the gift of being present in the moment and appreciating that part of the journey.

And then something happened.

I stopped travelling and I grew up. Soon I became serious and I started to fear never having enough time to become myself. Here I find myself still figuring out what I have become and what I am becoming. However there was a definite sense of urgency at that time in my life. As I hit 30 years old, I started to panic. Thoughts about getting married, owning things like a house or a car, and raising a family became my priority. I found myself panicking about my education, my career and becoming of value in our society. Soon these thoughts took me over. Suddenly each day was only about getting further ahead in the future, not about being in the moment.

I didn’t realize how much this affected me.

Truly I hadn’t thought much about how this was affecting me. That is not until I became a parent and switched to homeschooling. First, I was so consumed by what I was preparing my child for in the future. Second, I was obsessed with Making sure I understood the expectations of a child’s growth and learning development. Third, I was in a state of worrying. Additionally, making my child the most prepared for each new developmental stage took centre stage. I wanted him to be the best he could be for tomorrow.

Through all of this, I noticed something; he was starting to play less in each moment and rather ask about what was coming next.

He was hiking the trail asking what we were doing after and the reality check of what I was projecting on him suddenly hit me. Was I teaching my child to focus ahead instead of just being ok right where we are? Being highly empathic his words got my attention. However it was what I could feel that really hit me. In my son I could feel emotional anxiousness about the day, the objectives, the expectations. This truth hurt my heart. See, as a parent of a child with diagnosed separation anxiety, I chose to homeschool to help him build confidence not to take it away. This is when the deep reflection began within in.

If when I traveled I became free by living in the moment what was it that enabled me to do so? It was owning less, needing less, and trusting that where I was was exactly where I was meant to be.

I felt free, calm, alive, and in flow.

I really want those things for my son too. So, how can I help him discover these things that brought me so much joy? The answer is: I need to return myself to joy, and then I need to model it!

As the world seems to have gained speed and appear to be moving faster than I can keep up. Now more than ever I am coming back to the acceptance that nothing in life is permanent. Each day as I work towards healing my Metis roots I strive to connect deeper to the seasons. While walking gently upon the Earth as one of Her kin. If I am willing to accept impermanence in society and I surrender to the constant that is change in nature. Then surely I can open my heart to model being present in both of these aspects for my son.

This is my work.

As a parent I am always growing, as you are too. My son reflects back to me where I am out of alignment and where I can grow. He gifts me the constant opportunity to be better and rise to be the best version of myself possible. As the fall leaves come crashing down around me, I too have much to shed and I will. I will shed the illusion of becoming. Then I will work at simply being right here, right now. For my son I will let go of who he must become and be with him as he is right now. Together, we will live this season and grow as beings walking hand in hand on a journey designed for us.

Schoolio Guest Blog

Have you read ‘Stay Curious With Your Homeschool’? Another guest blog by Tawny Stowe.

“Every child is different! Isn’t this exactly why I wanted to homeschool? To give time and space to my child so he can learn in his own way? Well, intellectually yes. But then I found myself setting up my home exactly like a school. Trying to do all the ‘school like’ things. My heart was hearing Rudolph Steiner loud and clear. Saying “Why did you bother to read my philosophies if you are going to be so mechanical?” Even so, I just couldn’t let go of this idea of how I thought education should be. Because that is all I have ever known. I wasn’t sure how to stay curious with our homeschool.

What changed…

Luckily for my son and I, I am a Saggitarius who gets bored with routine with ease. So, we were released from the ‘educational’ prison I had created. Just as soon as the weather turned nice enough to spend the majority of our time outside.

Over the spring and summer months I turned my trust to homestead moms. I leaned into Wildschooling ideas, placing a great importance on learning in our natural environment. At first it was sheer necessity, as a single mom I couldn’t manage our spring gardens with a full day of sit down learning. Very quickly this way of learning opened my eyes to a beautiful truth for my son and I.

Learning about Charlotte Mason and Rudolph Steiner spoke to my soul.

Truly the ideologies of Charlotte Mason and Rudolph Steiner speak to my soul. I find that the more I learn about them the better able I am to embody them and to model them. This has resulted in an epic growth for me and a much deeper connection to my environment. A true healing of my Metis roots, and a stronger richer bond with my son.

When exploring homeschooling for the first time, or really at any time. It can be so overwhelming to know what to study, and how to study. To be honest, some days it can be overwhelming to know where to even start. Some people have a natural teacher flow to their life and it comes like second nature. While others, like me, have to nurture their teacher flow a bit more until we can really find it. The true key to success in homeschool, is to stay curious and stay in alignment with your values.

What are the best questions to ask yourself to stay curious?

Some of the best questions to ask yourself usually start with why you want to homeschool? The answers to these questions will guide you towards what philosophies or even curriculums support your desired outcomes. As I deepen my relationship with my son, I find I have to evaluate my reasons constantly against his growth. Constantly checking in with whether I am doing things for him, or for me. Because the answer to that can drastically shift our educational direction. I am continually learning that I must stay as curious as him. Curious about what excites him, what lights him up, what fuels him, what challenges him, what improves his confidence, nourishes his mind, his body and his soul. I use the seasons to prompt my reflection time. This way I can check in where we are both at, four times a year.

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Schoolio Guest Blog

Read: “Everything has a Season — Even Education” Guest Blog by Tawny Stowe

“Everything has a season” … It’s a cliche, but for me it’s also a permission slip! As a homestead mom and an entrepreneur, certain seasons find me a little over my head! This was my first-year homeschooling. And when I began, I had these grand ideals of how to make school happen in my home the way it does in a classroom.

I failed. Miserably.

First I started off with alarms set, I had specific curriculum planned out every day and books set up on the table. I even had specific days for different topics. At first, my four-year-old was excited and just as quickly he wasn’t. As soon as it turned into a power struggle for our family, I knew something had to change. But being so new to the homeschooling way of life, I didn’t know what!

And then… It happened.

As they say when the student is ready the teacher appears. So as I sat in on a webinar for my business that happened to be led by a homeschooling and homestead mamma of three. In her teaching she fully admitted that as gardening season approaches, her and the kids are done with formal learning for the remainder of the school year. When the demands of the garden increased, all learning revolved around growing food!

This was inspiring!

Suddenly, I felt as if the Spring Season was an open permission slip to let the rigidity and routine of learning go. We could slide into a more “unschooled approach” to education.

Then what took place blew my mind!

The power struggles that my family was facing, vanished. It seems getting a five-year-old to put on rain boots and splash in puddles requires zero effort! We went hunting for bugs, exploring wetlands for migrating birds, and spent time talking about the fertility of the Earth as it unravelled before our very eyes. Then we talked about seeds, and land stewardship (okay he’s five we called it tending to our food and forests). We collected garbage, we kayaked and we explored medicines and wild foods as they presented themselves. As I was walking around from morning to night working in the gardens, wheelbarrowing dirt, starting seeds and transplanting seedlings, and raising baby chicks, my son was with me every step of the way

Another change in our Homeschooling Journey.

So here we are, now watching this season that started as Spring. Moved into summer and is quickly bringing us to fall. I am pausing to reflect on what I am harvesting from the seeds I planted and tended all summer. Both in my garden and in my son’s learning environment.

My son has outgrown his shyness. He thrived in the natural world talking to plants, trees, rocks, and animals. We spent a summer taking our winter learning of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe Language) and applying it to our outdoor classroom. We read books, we studied field guides. We had countless campfires helping us heal our Metis roots. Doing so by keeping us feeling connected to the Natural Landscape and all of her beings.

A new cycle is here.

Continue reading this guest blog by Tawny Stowe.

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Important Lessons Learned From Helping Around the House

Guest Blog: Important Lessons Learned From Helping Around the House by Rebecca Miller

Learning is happening all around us, all the time. Even when we are not following a curriculum, or sitting at a desk with a workbook, educational opportunities arise every day. One of the most common areas that children learn through experience is in the area of housework. There are many important lessons learned from helping around the house. When children are allowed and encouraged to help out around the house (ie. Cooking, laundry, sweeping floors) they learn many skills that they will take into adulthood.

Life Skills

The most obvious thing children learn from helping keep a home tidy and clean is “life skills.” Life Skills are those skills that they will use to be successful adults. Learning to wash dishes, mop floors and make meals earlier in life is vitally important. Young adults who are not required to participate in household chores as children, often find it difficult to transition into adulthood. They are not equipped to take on the responsibility of their own household, because it was something they were just never taught. In order to give our kids an advantage when going out into the world, we need to allow them to build those essential skills as they grow up.

Responsibility and Accountability

Children who regularly do chores or housework, learn early on what it means to be responsible. They learn that it is their responsibility to pick up after themselves. They also learn that being part of a family means you each have a role to play and support each other to have a comfortable living space. If your children complain about having to wash dishes, consider having a discussion with them about how being a family unit means everyone is responsible for pitching in.

Teamwork

There will be many times in our children’s lives when they will find themselves having to work in a team. Whether they join a sports team or get a job where they have co-workers. Teamwork is a skill they will need in the future. Sharing in the responsibility of housework as they grow up, helps kids learn to work as a team.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

There are several tasks around the house that can help children build and strengthen both fine and gross motor skills. We do these actions so regularly that we often don’t stop to think of them as motor skill activities. Hanging laundry on a clothesline with clothespins is a great fine motor activity. Sweeping the floor promotes bilateral (using both sides of the body) co-ordination. Setting the table and matching socks are both activities that can improve sequencing, memory and problem solving skills.

Organization

Following a recipe, sorting recycling, and putting away groceries are just a few of the household tasks that can help teach our kids organizational skills. As adults, we use our ability to organize every day: at work, at home and out in the world. Many parents don’t realize that encouraging our children to take part in the upkeep of the family home can help them become more organized adults.

Sometimes we can tend to overlook learning opportunities that don’t look like “school.” But, everyday tasks such as sorting recycling and taking out the trash have so many skills hidden within them that it’s important not to overlook them. Even when it feels like it would be easier and faster to just do the housework ourselves. It can be extremely beneficial for our kids to encourage them to take responsibility for our household as well. And the bonus is, it can lighten the load for parents as well.

Schoolio Guest Blog

Read another guest blog by Rebecca Miller – Click Here –

Defend Your Choice to Homeschool

It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year. The time of the year that includes family gatherings, delicious meals, holiday music, and gifts. Easily the best part of the holiday season is the opportunity for you to defend your choice to homeschool. Now you get to practice this skill with every family member that decides to question your choice. How exciting! So, are you prepared to defend your choice to homeschool this holiday season? If not, let us help you with that.

Homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, there are still so many people that have strong negative opinions about home-learning. Often times their opinions can be extremely overwhelming. Which sometimes can lead to frustration and at times social exhaustion.

Additionally, feeling like you have to constantly defend your choice to homeschool can leave you feeling very burnt out.

So, why do people judge homeschooling so harshly and also so often? Undoubtedly it has to do with traditional comforts for starters. Because the average person wants things to look and work a certain way. Therefore when things look different, or they have a hard time understanding something ‘new’, it can cause them to have a mountain of doubts in your homeschooling abilities.

Is it fair that you must defend your choice to homeschool? Absolutely not. Unquestionably there are some people that just enjoy questioning you to get a rise. Clearly, in those situations walking away is honestly your best choice. On the other hand, if this relationship is important to you and the person asking the questions is clearly just asking out of curiosity. Then these eight reasons will come in as a handy reference for you. Especially when preparing to defend your homeschooling choice this holiday season.

8 Reasons Why Homeschooling Rocks:

1. Freedom to Choose.

Many parents find that in-home learning allows them the freedom to choose their educational approach. Additionally, homeschooling can be personalized around your schedule, values, and living. This can look like: Some parents choosing to unschool for greater benefits of freedom and even creativity. On the other hand, structured learning can produce amazing benefits. Those benefits include but are not limited to: Accelerated academic performance. As well as, homeschooling gives the parent, and the student, the freedom to choose what style of education is best suited for their learning needs.

2. Putting your child’s needs first, now!

Homeschooling gives you the freedom to prioritize your child’s emotional, mental, physical and behavioural health now. Rather than worrying about your child in a large class setting. You have the opportunity to help them with their current needs.

3. Which brings us to our next important reason: Valuable Learning time.

Chances are you already know this to be true. Large class sizes have aided in learning loss. Additionally, children’s learning challenges often go undetected. The reason is that it’s nearly impossible for a teacher to care for a class of 20+ children and help each child learn in a way that is unique to them. When homeschooling, your child will greatly benefit from the one-on-one time that they will receive.

4. Opportunity to focus on important life skills.

Preparing for adult life is a really great perk of homeschooling. Obviously, homeschooled children have more opportunities to learn to cook, budget, do laundry and more. These life lessons are just as valuable as a child’s math assignment.

5. Encouraging Independence.

While one-on-one learning is readily available when homeschooling. There’re also amazing opportunities for your child to learn independent skills. This is another huge perk of homeschooling. Things like independent play, reading time, life skills, and more. Are all utilized when homeschooling.

6. Stepping out of a bad situation.

Occasionally mental health issues are directly connected to unfortunate school situations. For example: Providing your child safety from a situation that they’re being bullied in. This is another huge beneficial component to homeschooling.

7. Focus on their mental health.

Anxiety, depression, brain health, and social anxiety are all areas of your child’s mental health that can be helped by homeschooling. Because homeschooling gives you the chance to help your child by focusing on their mental and emotional well-being. Moreover, homeschool parents can prioritize time learning coping skills, medical care and therapy. Which will then benefit the child mentally, and in time academically too.

8. Home learning offers the opportunity for a more thorough education.

It’s fact that traditional schools skip a lot of educational lessons. These range from different subjects like history and science to mental health. Of course these educational lessons have the opportunity to examined further when homeschooling.

Regardless of how beneficial it can be, home learning won’t be for everyone.

Even if you listed all the most amazing benefits of homeschooling to the person questioning you. Some people still will not be able to see the benefits. Please don’t let their sour opinions drag you down. Even if you just remember these 8 reasons to benefit and back up your own personal beliefs about homeschooling. It will still be worth it.

Your decision to put your child’s education first is a direct side affect of your desire to provide them with the best skills for a good life. You’re doing a great job.

Click Here to prepare for the ‘What about Socialization Questions’!

Additional Resources:

Benefits of Homeschooling – The Homeschool Mom

What Are Some Benefits of Homeschooling – OFTP

4 Reasons Your Kids Should be Homeschooled – Augusta Free Press

Small Changes for Huge Growth, Utilizing 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families.

What are the 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families?

1. Successful Homeschooling Families are Flexible.

2. Successful Homeschooling Families Make Learning a Lifestyle.

3. They Ask For Help.

4. Successful Homeschooling Parents Share Responsibility.

5. Never Fall for Comparison.

6. Say No!

7. Avoid Jumping at Every Opportunity.

8. Understand the Importance of Community.

9. Successful Homeschoolers Read a lot!

10. We Get Really Excited!

11. Successful Homeschooling Parents Start the Day on a Positive Note.

12. Successful Homeschoolers Involve the Kids.

13. Avoid Conversations with People who Just Don’t Get it!

14. Successful Homeschoolers Aren’t Afraid to Switch it up!

15. Understand Just How Difficult the Task Is.

Summing it Up!

Question 1: Should Homeschool Curriculum be Accredited?

This often goes against most homeschoolers reasons for homeschooling.

Are there any accredited homeschool curriculum companies?

The Results:

Question 2: What if I want to put my child back in school?

The Takeaway:

Try not to worry!

How can you encourage learning throughout the holidays without causing more exhaustion for both you and your child?

Step 1:

Step 2:

I’ve identified what they need to be learning and what their common interests are. So, now what?

Fun Ways to Learn Through the Holidays:

First Let’s Figure Out Your Child’s Learning Style:

Visual Learners

How can we help our visual learners during the holidays?

Auditory Learners

Kinaesthetic Leaners

Reading and Writing Learners

What type of learner do you have?

Using their unique learning styles to encourage learning throughout the holidays.

Keep learning holiday themed to gain interest!

Some really unique lessons that your kids will love this time of year:

Remember, encouraging learning through the holidays doesn’t have to be holiday themed though.

For more information on how to help unique learners:

Here’s a bold truth when it comes to homeschooling and breaks.

What if you just took a break?

So Ask Yourself, Is It a Break From Homeschooling That I Need? Or Do I Just Need to Adjust My Plate?

If you feel like it’s just your plate that needs adjusting.

You can try: Adjusting your school work.

Using a food delivery service/order take out.

Lower the standards.

Outsource when needed.

Have mandatory fun days.

Maybe you’ve done all of these things and you’re still just not feeling it. Should you take a break from homeschooling?

Here are some clear signs that you should take a break from homeschooling:

1. You’re sick.

2. A Family Emergency.

3. Your Kids are Sick.

4. You’re just not prepared for the day.

5. Your Kids Clearly Need a Break.

6. There’s a Fun Event Planned.

7. Your Kids Can’t Focus.

8. It’s Nice Outside.

Homeschool Mom Self-Care

Guest Blog by Rebecca Miller

What is Self Care?

What Self-Care is Not

Self-care does not have to cost money.

Why is Homeschool Mom Self-Care Important?

Is it selfish?

When I was growing up.

Let me tell you a story

Remaining calm changed the situation.

Finding Time for Homeschool Mom Self-Care.

Another Option.

Where Do I Start With Homeschool Mom Self-Care?

Here are some examples of homeschool mom self-care activities that don’t cost anything.

Self care examples:

About Rebecca Miller:

Read more guest blogs by Rebecca Miller:

Important Lessons Learned From Helping around The House

How Do You Homeschool With a Toddler?