We are going through a period of time in which record numbers of people are choosing to #homeschool their kids. While there are a myriad of reasons, one of the most common is that school just wasn’t working. That is the reason I’m addressing today, because if there’s one thing that you SHOULDN’T do in those cases, it’s to try to bring school home along with your children.
Tag: homeschool not school at home
Are You Overcomplicating Your Homeschool?
When it comes to homeschooling, there are many temptations that come with it, both good and bad. Unfortunately, as is often the case, we parents will ignore our God-given instincts about what’s best for our children and, instead, try to stick with the status quo of what school is “supposed” to look like.
Think about it.
How often have you been tempted to take the day off and just do something fun, only to give in to guilt and continue with your homeschool routine as planned?
How many times have you suppressed the urge to just let your kids sit and play together quietly in order to interrupt an intense period of play so that your kids could learn about consonant blends?
And how many times have you gone against your instinct as a parent to keep your homeschool simple, and alternatively jammed as many things as possible into your everyday routine?
If you’re anything like I am, probably quite a bit.
Today I just wanted to talk to you about that last one: the oh-so-common pitfall of becoming obsessed with covering everything, only to find that not only does it not work, but it’s likely to impede a child’s learning as a consequence. Continue reading “Are You Overcomplicating Your Homeschool?”
Are You Homeschooling with Textbooks, By Default?
Why is it that the things that should be the most obvious to us are those which we find so difficult to grasp?
Take textbooks, for example.
I’m honestly astonished at the number of homeschoolers who seem to cling to this holdover from compulsory schooling- you know, that form of education most homeschoolers are trying to avoid?? And I’m not approaching this topic in an uppity manner, since I was once one of those very people.
Thankfully, I have gradually realized how little textbooks have to do with an effective education for most children, and I think a good number of other parents instinctively know this, too. Despite this fact, however, I’ve increasingly come into contact with many, many other homeschool moms who are genuinely aware that textbooks aren’t working for their children, yet they beat themselves up over it and desperately try to get them to work. Continue reading “Are You Homeschooling with Textbooks, By Default?”
The Biggest Mistake You Can Make as a New Homeschooler
I have made a lot of mistakes as a homeschool mom. A lot. And while I now neither claim to be perfect at this job or have everything figured out, there is one thing I can assure you I am 100% confident of:
Out of all the traps you can fall into as a new homeschooler, there is one that stands out above all the rest as potentially the most destructive and the most joy-draining mistake you can make.
Before I get into what that is, don’t lose heart if you discover you’ve been doing this all along. I think most of us are guilty of having done this to some extent in our homeschools- I know I have.
Ready for the big disclosure? Okay. The biggest no-no you can run into as a new homeschooler is… Continue reading “The Biggest Mistake You Can Make as a New Homeschooler”
There's No Place Like Home 