New to Homeschooling? – Start Here

Welcome to Homeschooling!

This is a unique lifestyle and can be a place where you and your kids will grow exponentially. Everyone enters homeschooling in a unique way. We each bring different family dynamics, personalities, and relationships to education. Learning at home is a journey for the parent who is teaching just as much as the kids.  

Homeschooling is also layered and complicated because you are adding a whole new learning curve to an already full life. You may have a job outside the home, other little kids to care for, volunteer work, online classes to keep up with, and family relationships that require your time. The flexibility of homeschooling will be a comfort to you in whatever your schedule looks like. 

Taking on anything new can easily become overwhelming. It can quickly feel like jumping in the cold water in the deep end. You do not have to do this alone! One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the sense of community you can easily find online and in person. Here I will do my best to share some basics with you. 

This is my prioritized list and what I have found helpful.  Use what you need and use the links for more ideas.  I am purposely keeping this article short and to the point. I know that you do not have time for long stories or detailed metaphors. 🙂

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Where to start: 

I start with the household stuff and taking care of yourself.

Why? Because homeschooling is a full-time job. Especially as your kids get older. You are no longer “just a stay-at-home parent”. (To be truthful that phrase drives me crazy because being a stay-at-home parent is a full-time job. But anyway..) Now you are doing an additional job that takes a chunk of time every day, a financial budget, lots of resources, and heaps of energy.

If your household tasks are not well managed then you will quickly move from a bit overwhelmed to frustrated and depleted. 

The Big 3:

1. Meal planning & simplifying grocery shopping.  (article coming soon!)
   • Make a plan for all those meals that your family will be eating at home.
   • 3 meals a day + snacks can get complicated very quickly
   • Having a plan makes a huge difference in morale and the budget.
   • Healthy at-home meals are easier with planning and shopping.
   • You will be surprised at how quickly food disappears when there are kids always around to eat it!

2. Mother Culture: having your own hobbies and activities you enjoy 
   • Be honest about your current situation. How are you doing as a person?
   • You are now taking on a whole new job assignment and a list of responsibilities. How are you getting rest?
   • Who are you outside of homeschooling?
   • How can you do something for yourself that does not involve the kids?
   • What are you reading and watching that fills you up?
   • What music do you enjoy? What kinds of foods do you enjoy making for fun?
   • What does your Morning Routine look like? See this article for ideas.
   • What kinds of hobbies do you have?  What activities you enjoy by yourself?

Mother Culture is about becoming alive. It is filling our own bucket so that we can pour out to our children. When you have space to be yourself and enjoy life then you have the ability to love well. To teach with patience and kindness. To hug the child who is crying instead of scolding her.

3. Simplify the Household Tasks:
   • Write down every little household task you do. 
     • What can be shared and delegated? 
     • What can you take off your plate? 
     • What do you no longer need to spend time on? 
   • Do not take on major household projects right now.
     • This is not the time to do a deep clean, start a major household decluttering, or painting bedrooms.
     • You will wear yourself out if you allow your house to pull you away from focusing on homeschooling.
   • How can you lower your standards or change your cleaning schedule so you have more time to teach?
   • Sometimes you will have to choose the math lesson over the messy floors. And that is okay.
   • Get some help!
     • Who can pitch in to help on the weekends with household tasks?
     • The husband?  A teenage neighbor who needs to earn some spending money?
     • The kids? – Create some chores charts and times each day where they help out.
     • Get creative and take your job as a homeschooler seriously. Your time matters too!
   • See this article for some help with Daily Chores
   • This article for Household Chores & Cleaning the Home
   • Homeschooling is a Job! For real! You are not getting paid, and you are your own boss, but it is still real.

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What about the homeschool stuff?  

Let’s talk about it! If we met for coffee these are the questions I would ask you. Take some time for reflection and be honest about what is bothering you.

Questions:

• Focus on the flexibility in homeschooling.
  • When is the best time for your kids to learn?
  • When are you able to teach most effectively?
  • What other pieces of your schedule need to be moved or planned around?
  • Do you have a little one who naps in the afternoons?
• Curriculum is a tool and a guide.  You are the one in charge. 
  • You get to decide what is taught, how much, and how often. 
  • Do you feel bossed around by a textbook or someone’s opinion?
• What is bothering you with Homeschooling? What subject, which grade level, what type of lessons?
  • If you had a magic wand what would you fix?
  • There are so many amazing curriculums out there for any type of homeschooling you can do. You have the freedom to make changes or take a break.
• How many grade levels do you have? How many subjects are you teaching? Calculate a number.
  • I teach 4 grade levels and approx. 7 subjects each kid + 4 group subjects = 32 subjects
  • That is 32 textbooks to follow. 32 curriculum guides telling me what to do and giving me lists!
  • How many do you have? I bet it is more than you realize. Give yourself credit for all that!
• Focus on the one small thing.
  • What is bothering you the most? What is one thing you can change this week to see results?  
• Daily lists: What is expected of me? What is expected from your kids? 
  • I have discovered that daily routines and checklists are so important to my productivity!
  • It’s not about getting everything done – that is impossible.  It is about making progress.  

See this article for more ideas on lists – My Life in Lists: I have found freedom in list-making. 

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Encouragement:

You can do this! You are in a unique position to change the daily structure of your home and make an educational impact on your kids. The skills you have and the life experience you bring is special to your family. Make it a priority to get a handle on meal planning, grocery shopping, and household tasks. Take some time and space to be yourself and enjoy life on your own terms.

Then you will have the ability to love and lead well. You are a parent, a teacher, a role model, and a guide. Homeschooling is so much more than curriculum or lessons. Lean into the lifestyle that is a different path. Blaze a trail that meets the needs of your family, your home, and your lifestyle.

You can do hard things! You can do this! – April

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