Welcome to the last day of the How to Homeschool series! I’m so glad you came to One Faithful Mom for some homeschool encouragement.
If you’re just joining us, be sure to head over to Part 1 of this series and work your way through each day. This episode won’t be quite as helpful as a standalone as it will if you do each day in turn. You can find the previous 4 parts here:
Part 1- Begin With the End in Mind
Part 2- Examine Strengths and Weaknesses
Part 4- Identify Your Priorities
And one more thing…be sure to grab the free cheat sheet I created for you so that you can work through the sections as we talk through them in each episode. You can grab the cheat sheet here:
Don’t make this mistake
One of the first mistakes I see new homeschool moms make is borne out of fear.
You’re fearful of doing something wrong so rather than risk that, you become a slave to whatever curriculum you’ve chosen. You have decided that the books in the big box that the nice UPS man drops off are much smarter than you.
And it’s not true.
Trust yourself to make good decisions
If your kids have made it to their school years in one piece, you can certainly trust yourself to homeschool them.
You are the one who taught them to get dressed, brush their teeth, eat food without dropping it everywhere, walk, talk, and use the bathroom. So, don’t let a little thing like schoolbooks make you scared.
And yes, I called schoolbooks a little thing.
In the grand scheme of things, you have been your child’s teacher for their entire life. Don’t let the thought of taking over their formal education make you nervous.
You can totally do this!
Tune out the naysayers
When you decide to homeschool, people come out of the woodwork to question everything you do.
Most people don’t randomly quiz public-schooled students on math facts or historical dates. But you can bet your bottom dollar they will question your child to no end if you allow it.
So, don’t allow it.
And when people try to tell you how you should homeschool, just nicely say, “Thank you! I think we have a plan but if I have any questions, I’ll be sure to ask you.”
Don’t worry for one minute about what anybody else thinks about your methods, the way you structure your days. the books you’re using, or your schedule or routine.
You have thought this all through from the beginning and you know where you’re headed; you know what your child’s strengths and weaknesses are; you have gathered all the information you need; you have identified what your family’s priorities are for this year, and now you have a plan in place.
Follow your plan, Mama.
Don’t be afraid of changing your mind
When you get that big box of books, you and your children might feel pretty excited about what’s inside. But you might get a couple of months down the road and realize that some of the stuff you ordered isn’t really working for your child.
What do you do?
Do you press through? After all, you spent money on those books. And you can’t just waste that money. But what if not using something that stresses you and your child out isn’t wasteful? What if it would be foolish to continue using the things you hate?
At some point in your homeschool journey, you are going to buy something that you end up hating. And then, you have 3 choices:
- Make your kids suffer through using something that’s not right for them.
- Sell it to another homeschooler.
- Drop it in the trash.
If you really want to shock your kids, drop a workbook that isn’t working for them in the trashcan. I did that with a math workbook once and my kid’s eyes about popped out of his head. It was a great opportunity to show both of us that I was in charge and I knew best.
You’ve got this, mom
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes as you begin to homeschool for the first time. Those of us who have been at this for a while will tell you that mistakes are part of the journey.
You are going to buy things that you hate. You will get stressed over what others say to you. You will have to die to yourself and your flesh day after day after day.
But in the end, you are going to do great. You’ve totally got this, friend. I believe in you.