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Sometimes it feels like our world is crashing in around us. Whether that’s from a pandemic, civil unrest, or personal family issues, there are times when homeschooling becomes just one more thing. One more thing that needs to be handled in a huge stack of other responsibilities that are weighing us down. And when our kids are old enough that they’re in middle school or high school, we don’t necessarily feel right about just taking a break whenever things get overwhelming. The older grades seem like they count more, don’t they?!?

Here’s How to Successfully Homeschool Teens During Difficult Seasons

No one takes the decision of whether or not to homeschool our children lightly. Their education is important to us! So it’s easy to get discouraged when we don’t have confidence that we can juggle everything. We want them to be successful even when homeschooling during a difficult season. We’re not sure we can do all that is required of us and still do a good job of educating our children.

If you are homeschooling teens and you have entered a difficult season in life, you do not have to throw your hands up and enroll them in school. People are always learning and that’s true for our children as well. Fortunately, there are many non-traditional ways that our older kids can continue their education when our plates are too full to provide the types of lessons we would like.

Here are 4 Ways to Homeschool Teens During Difficult Seasons:

1 – Real-Life Learning

There are plenty of ways our older kids can pitch in and help with whatever situations we are facing. Whether that’s helping to care for sick family members, doing major home repairs, running errands, helping to run the household by doing laundry, or mowing the lawn, etc. It’s good for our tweens and teens to regularly help out around the home. During difficult seasons, consider having your older kids pick up even more slack. This will give you the time you need to be able to tackle the other responsibilities you are needing to address.

2 – Talk About It

Whatever your family is facing, it’s good to sit your older kids down and talk things out with them. Be honest and share some of the struggles you are trying to process. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I have these types of conversations with my sons. They usually understand a lot more than I might have thought they would. They also often have valuable insights to share that help me to think things through more clearly and to come up with new solutions for our family to tackle together.

Discussing difficult situations in society also causes our kids to learn to look at the world around them and to realize that they aren’t the center of the universe.

It gives them more empathy for other people. And it often motivates them to dig into different news sources to learn even more about various topics that they might not have known about before. It’s important for all of us to stay abreast of what’s going on in our world so that we can pray about it and learn ways that we can get involved and make a difference.

3 – Independent Learning During Difficult Times

As our children get older, the way we homeschool them should change. We should be in the business of working ourselves out of a job. Each year, we should be intentional about handing over more and more responsibilities to our children. This is true with parenting as well as with homeschooling. At some point, our role should shift from teacher to mentor. Rather than us being the ones to present all of the information to our students, we should teach them how to learn without needing as much of our help.

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When we find ourselves going through difficult seasons, it’s the perfect time to start making this transition, if we haven’t started the process already. It’s important that our independent learners still have accountability, however. Don’t pass the baton fully without continuing to play a role. Most teens aren’t responsible enough to continue making progress without us checking in regularly to see how they’re doing. And they aren’t born with the knowledge of how to manage their time or map out their own lessons. Those are skills we need to teach them before we try a more hands-off approach.

4 – Online Classes Help to Successfully Homeschool Teens During Difficult Seasons

If a difficult season hits before you’ve had a chance to prepare your kids for a more independent way of learning, you may want to consider having them try some online classes. This will free up your schedule so that you can handle whatever difficult situations your family is facing but will continue to give your kids the continuity of having a teacher to lead them through the learning process.

Online classes are also wonderful if you have reached a season in homeschooling where you’re struggling to communicate with your teen or where there is a lot of strife. When my sons reached the teen years, I noticed pretty quickly that upper-level math became a source of contention between us on a daily basis. Neither of my sons appreciated how I was trying to present the material anymore. So, even though I had gone through calculus myself as a student, it became much easier for us to outsource math to someone else so that we didn’t have that regular painful interaction causing strife between us anymore.

No matter what kind of difficult season you are going through, there are always ways to navigate them successfully without giving up homeschooling.

In fact, the flexibility that homeschool families have can make the hard situations we all face in life just that much easier to handle. Embrace it and be willing to adapt your lessons to better fit your current circumstances. With a little bit of ingenuity, you may find that you actually enjoy this new approach even more and that your teens benefit from a more self-sufficient way of learning.

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30 DAYS OF THE BEST ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HOMESCHOOLING MOMS SERIES CONTRIBUTOR:

Michelle has been homeschooling her sons for 17 years and she just graduated her youngest son this spring. She loves to encourage other moms who are in the trenches and share tips and tricks for helping them to appreciate the blessings of motherhood as well as how to have fun along the way. You can find her blogging at Homeschool-Your-Boys.com.

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“I got a new toy for my birthday,” Jack said to a couple of kids standing in front of him, “Want to see it?” The other boys didn’t answer. Without a word, they just kept talking. Jack turned and walked away…

“Give me my toy back!” Naomi exclaimed, “It’s mine; I want it back!” “You told me I could look at it,” Mia stated, “I’m still looking at it.” Naomi reached to pull her toy back into her possession. Mia resisted, and an angry tug-of-war followed…

Tyson and Britney ran up to the swings at the park and each eagerly climbed onto a waiting swing. “Push me, Dad!” Tyson called to his father. Britney mockingly giggled, “I can’t believe you still need someone to push you. Pushing is for babies. I know how to do the swing all by myself.” Tyson sadly looked down at the ground…

The three scenes described above are enough to break your heart. Sadly, they are more than likely not unfamiliar to you. We have all been exposed to similar scenes in our lives. We may have even experienced them ourselves, or worse, watched our children suffer through them. Friendship is one of the most amazing things we can have in this life. Friends are, without question, a precious gift and something to be grateful for. They are something we fervently pray that our children would have.

How To Help Your Children With Friendships

Yes, we long for our children to have friendships. And yet, a sad dichotomy exists within friendship. Creating on one end some of life’s greatest blessings while on the other causing some of life’s most difficult and painful experiences. Why is it that our peers possess the ability to create within us equal amounts of happiness and hurt? And how is your child supposed to navigate the tumultuous journey that friendship can be?

Thankfully, we have been given the Word of God. It is the perfect place to turn to for help in equipping our children to navigate the friendship concerns they will inevitably witness or experience in this life.

Why are there so many problems with friendships?

The first thing to understand about friendship concerns is the why: why are there so many problems in friendship? The answer is actually similar to why so many problems can exist in a marriage: friendship, like marriage, involves sinners. Your child’s current friends…the kids they want to become friends with…even your child…are all sinners.

If we were all perfect, then we’d all be perfect friends. There would never be any problems in friendships (wouldn’t that be nice!). Now even though that’s sad to hear, there’s good news too. There are tools that can help your kids to deal with the problems of friendship. We can also teach them how they can be the kind of friend God would want them to be.

Tools to help your child grow in friendship

What are these friendship tools, you ask? At first, they are going to seem obvious, but that doesn’t make them any less valid or effective. The first tools you need for dealing with friendship concerns are prayer and the Word of God. As Christian parents, it should be our goal to point our children to the effectiveness and power of God’s Word in all of life’s situations.

We want to help them to learn to use God’s Word as the first place they turn to when faced with struggles. This will be one of the most valuable things you ever teach your children. On either side of a friendship problem, as recipient or instigator (because, yes, that will happen), hearing what the Bible has to say about it and praying for God’s help are crucial elements. The Bible is how you teach your child how to be a good friend. It also shows them how to respond when someone is not a good friend to them.

How Do I Help My Child Develop Better Friendships?

Even as children, the list of friendship problems is long. Sharing, unkind words, being left out or ignored, manipulation, bullying, jealousy, embarrassment, shyness, rejection, and the list goes on. Some of these problems can be pretty heavy to bear, especially for children. The one thing they all have in common, however. They are all byproducts of sinful hearts or sin in this world, which is where the Word of God comes in.

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God’s Word has something to say about all of these sins. It doesn’t mean all the problems will go away. But the Word of God will equip your child with the tools to be a good friend and to forgive when their friends fail them. It will also expose them to what they themselves are supposed to be as a friend.

How To Help Your Child With Friendship Issues

Being a good friend is not always easy, especially when your children are on the receiving end of the hurt. Prayer is an amazing, and sadly underutilized, tool at our disposal. Our children should learn at a young age to run to their heavenly Father with their hurt and their pain.

The depth of God’s love is enough to cover even the most unthinkable agonies in this life, but it must be cultivated. Similarly, when our child has an area of friendship with which they personally struggle, helping them to acknowledge it and bring it to the Lord for help in their sanctification teaches them to be accountable for their actions towards others.

A Valuable Friendship Resource

A great way to teach your children about common friendship problems and what God’s Word has to say about them is a letter-writing “pen pal” series called “Dear Faith: The Friendship Letters”. The series focuses on a character named Faith Walker – a regular kid with the same friendship problems that all kids experience. She “writes” letters to your child about a wide range of friendship problems that children encounter and shares with your child what she’s discovering God’s Word says about each one. Your child can even write a letter back to her, putting into words some of their own insights and struggles.

Some of the friendship problems covered are sharing, unkind words, being ignored, bullying, manipulation, jealousy, gossip, peer pressure, and more.

In addition, she shares some friendship advice with your children, like choosing your friends wisely, being the kind of friend you want to have, remembering that God made you exactly the way you are, and remembering to be like Christ.

Each letter topic includes a specific Bible verse for dealing with that issue, as well as prayer pages to seek God’s help in getting through each struggle. Those prayer pages can be kept together with an included cover in a “Book of Friendship” keepsake your child can turn to again and again because, sadly, they will more than likely encounter these friendship problems more than once this side of heaven.

A Friendship Theme

A good “theme” verse to have in your child’s heart for any friendship concern is Matthew 7:12:

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The wisdom found in this verse alone can be used to cover just about any friendship problem your child will ever encounter. Faith actually uses this verse in her closing letter at the end of The Friendship Letters. It’s some advice we all could learn from…no matter our age. She writes:

“Friendships really come down to loving others. If we’re treating others in love – as we would want to be treated – then we will not be the cause of these friendship problems we’ve talked about. And if these things are being done to us, we’ll be able to extend love and forgiveness as our response. It’s not easy, but it’s what we have to keep working on, no matter how old we are.

Here is one final prayer for you:

“God,

Help me to love others and to treat them how I would want to be treated. May I not sin against my friends, and may I extend forgiveness when my friends sin against me. Amen.”

Maybe I’ll hear from you again some time. That’d be pretty cool!

Faith

Final Encouragement to Help Your Child Navigate Friendship

No, we aren’t going to be able to shield our kids from experiencing the hurt that comes with friendship in this sinful world. We can’t protect them from even being the cause of it themselves from time to time, but the best thing they can do when they are struggling with friendship is to realize who they are in Christ and His love for them.

When they hurt others, they will know to seek forgiveness and change. When others hurt them, they will know that they are forever valued by their heavenly Father and because of His great love for them, will also be able to extend forgiveness to others. We want good, Christlike friendships for our children, so let’s be intentional about training our children to be that kind of friend themselves. Let’s flood this world with them!

30 Days of the Best Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms Series Contributor:

Cindy Voss and Michelle Jansma of Keepsake Curriculum are a mother and daughter team dedicated to helping homeschool families find encouragement and resources as they homeschool their children. Our children are a heritage from God, a keepsake we must hold on to and train “in the fear of the Lord.”

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If the past eleven years of homeschooling have taught me anything, it’s that homeschool planning is both essential and beneficial.

Having a plan helps us stay focused on our homeschool goals, mission, and vision. Planning out your homeschool year doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be quite simple. Your plans can be as elaborate or as simple as you want them to be.

One of the many reasons why I LOVE homeschooling is that I have the freedom to customize my homeschool plans. I’m able to construct it in such a way that will cater to my family’s specific needs.

Planning out your homeschool is definitely not one-size-fits-all. There are so many different ways you can plan your year out. Your plans will be uniquely set up for what will work best for your family.

3 Things You Must Include In Your Homeschool Planning

Learning different strategies and/or ideas on how to plan your year can be inspirational. It can even spark your own ideas on how to plan for the new homeschool year.

Planning out your year is not all about what curriculum you will be using, the conference you will be attending or the classes your child will be taking….it’s so much more than that!

As you plan out your homeschool year I want to encourage you not to forget to include these 3 things. They are important to note and may be easy to overlook!

The three things that I believe that you must include in your homeschool planning are life skills, character building, and cultivating the love of learning in your children. I know there are more that can be added to the list and you are welcome to add to it as you plan out your year.

But for the sake of time, I would love to address these three specifically…

Include Life Skills In Your Homeschool Planning

According to Dictionary.com life skill is “a skill that helps a person to function well in adult life, especially in social or emotional situations.”

Incorporate life skills into your everyday life. It can help children develop sound judgment, good habits, responsibility, independence, and the list goes on. It is crucial that we teach our children how to take care of themselves, manage a home, cook, be great communicators, be thinkers, problem solvers, to be proactive, etc.

Learning life skills will help build their confidence and independence as they grow into adulthood. As homeschoolers, we have an amazing opportunity to teach our children life skills in a natural way at home. They can also learn valuable life skills doing chores around the house, volunteering in the community, and serving at their church just to name a few.

Children are always learning, so many of the life skills will be learned naturally.

For example, your child falls and scrapes his knee, you can teach him how to take care of the scrape, (first aid). Maybe your children have a disagreement, so you intervene and coach them on how they could have solved the problem before it escalated into a major argument, (communication skills) or having your child plan out dinner on Friday.

Those are just examples so you can see how easy it is to incorporate life skills into your homeschool plans.

Here is a list of life skills to get you started.

1. How to do laundry
2. Prepare a simple meal
3. Basic First Aid
4. Proper communication
5. How to change a tire
6. Listening skills
7. Navigating
8. Empathy
9. Typing
10. Basic sewing
11. Keep their room tidy

Plan Character Building Into Your Homeschool

This is one that you do not want to overlook and think that your child will learn on their own. Building character in our children takes intentionality and consistency. We need to be intentional when teaching our children the character traits we want them to develop. There are many ways that you can add character building in your homeschool naturally or even as part of your lessons.

Here is a list to get you started.

1. Model the character traits that you want them to learn.
2. Read books to your children and discuss with them the character traits that the characters in the stories demonstrated.
3. During your Bible studies or family devotions talk about the person you learned about and the character trait(s) that they demonstrated or lack thereof…
4. Pay attention throughout the day and acknowledge the good character traits that you see your children show throughout the day.
5. Pray with them about a character trait they want to develop.

Here is a list of character traits.

1. Fairness
2. Patience
3. Honesty
4. Persistence
5. Love
6. Self-Control
7. Truthfulness
8. Forgiveness
9. Wisdom
10. Contentment

Plan time for Cultivating the Love of Learning- Pursuing Their Passions

It’s important that you plan to provide your children with free time in your homeschooling. During the day they need to be able to pursue the things that interest them or that they are passionate about learning. This will ignite a love of learning in their hearts. If you cultivate that love of learning in your children they will become life long learners, thinkers, problem-solvers, and self-motivators.

They will learn how to find answers, develop a new skill, further their education on a particular topic, etc.

Letting them follow their passions and interests will lead them into a world of opportunities and possibilities to grow in the calling that the Lord created them for.

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So after they do their assignments for the day cut them loose to explore, discover, and create.

Here are some tips on how to cultivate the love of learning in your home.

1. Create a learning environment by providing them the tools and supplies they need in order to grow in their talents and passions.
2. Consider teaching to your child’s gifting by customizing your child’s education.
3. Let them chase their questions and go on rabbit trails by digging deeper into a topic they are interested in.

Here are some fun ideas and tools to help cultivate the love of learning.

1. Educational Kits
2. Puzzles
3. Legos
4. Art supplies
5. Books based on interest
6. Volunteer in an area of interest
7. Take classes to develop their skills
8. Field trips
9. Intern in their chosen career
10. Start their own business

Remember these three things as you are planning your homeschool year

As you pray and plan out your homeschool year, don’t forget to incorporate life skills, character building lessons, and make time to cultivate the love of learning in your children.

You won’t regret it!

What else would you add that you must include in your Homeschool Planning?

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30 Days of the Best Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms Series Contributor:

Jessica is a follower of Christ, Homeschooling mama with a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Wife, and Mother raising 3 godly men. She writes about Intentional Living, Motherhood, Homeschooling, Travel, and More. Her heart is to inspire and encourage moms to live an intentional life, one day at a time.

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Movement wires the brain to learn, but for some of our children that need to move is more obvious than for other children. Our culture describes the proper setting for getting an education to be kids sitting still at desks dutifully reading, listening, and following rote instructions. Homeschooling provides us the opportunity to break free from the desk mentality. We can embrace the freedom and opportunity that comes with a more active approach to learning.

How To Homeschool The Active Child

I’ll never forget our experience learning about Africa while I was creating Go Global. We had read amazing books about children such as Mama Panya’s Pancakes or One Hen: How One Small Hen Made a Big Difference…that gave us a glimpse into life in rural Kenya and Ghana. As we remembered back to the stories we had read about kids in the South American Amazon region, I was struck with something.

Much of the world does not have access to running water. Something as simple as walking to the sink and filling a glass of water is a rarity around the world. I wanted my kids to understand the work involved in something as simple as gathering water. To understand that kids around the world were just like them in many ways, but also had unique jobs that differed from theirs. I wanted to help them develop empathy and a desire to help others. But giving them a speech about it is rarely effective.

Reading stories is a move in the right direction, but for the active child especially, they need to experience it.

So we gathered water for a day. We watered our garden with water that they had to haul from one side of our suburban backyard to the other side in buckets hung from a broomstick that they balanced on their shoulders. My young boys (at the time) were eager to show off how strong they were and yet quickly realized how much work it really was. Their respect for the boys and girls who haul water for their family grew. It was a lesson they still talk about to this day, nearly 10 years later.

Movement matters. Experience matters. Getting our kids up out of their chairs and off the couch can make such a big difference. It helps cement what they are learning into long-term memory. Sometimes it is a little more involved like our hauling water day. But most often it is making simple steps in our day to free them up to move.

With that in mind, I wanted to give you five tips for homeschooling the active child and helping your child flourish!

Five Tips for How to Homeschool the Active Child

1. Understand that movement wires the brain to learn.

I write about this in my book, The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks. Movement fosters connections in the brain that make learning both easier and more efficient. When we pursue a multi-sensory approach to life these connections flourish and grow. Movement helps with something called bi-lateral integration. This is the ability of one part of the brain to communicate with the other. Movement stimulates the vestibular system.

It’s crazy how developing a child’s ability to balance, hang upside down from a tree, or brachiate on the monkey bars all work to wire the brain to learn, but it does. When we understand this and then regularly REMIND ourselves how important movement is, we are more apt to look for opportunities to allow our children to be active.

2. Mix up the Basics to Get Active

Homeschooling provides us the freedom to break away from the “desk mentality.” Our kitchen countertops provide the perfect location for a standing desk if sitting that day doesn’t seem to be working. Walking to work through problems or outline a paper are also highly effective. There is something about marching that enables busy, scattered minds to focus. As one of those active girls, who thankfully was homeschooled, I learned all of my multiplication tables by marching around the kitchen table. Even now, I work through many of my writing projects by taking a walk or run around the block!

3. Take a Brain Break

We’ve all seen it, the glazed over look when our kids have started to tune us out or begin crawling through their math problems at a snail’s pace. While we as adults might be able to muscle through it, children simply can’t. Instead of getting frustrated, this is the time for a Brain Break. A Brain Break is simply a quick 2-3 minute break designed to wake up the brain by getting the body moving in a way that activates the wiring in the brain. We utilize brain breaks all the time for those moments when we want to finish that spelling lesson or sometimes between two more sedentary “desk work” kinds of subjects.

4. Busy Hands Make for a Focused Mind

Reading aloud as a family is a precious bonding time. Few things are more enjoyable than getting lost in a good book together. Learning is oftentimes painless as we are transported from the couch into the story at hand. Allow your active children the freedom to hang upside down from the couch. Chances are the only person distracted is you as the parent. Giving your children the opportunity to narrate back to you what is happening in the story will help you determine if they are paying attention or not. In our family, we
realized letting them play with Legos while I read was counter-productive because they entered into separate pretend play… Narration helped me quickly clue into that.

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Busy hands make for a focused mind. And it’s worth it to figure out what works for your family! Letting them play with a ball of clay, letting them finger knit (boys can enjoy this too), or coloring on a plain sheet of paper to illustrate the story are all great ways to keep their hands busy so their minds are able to focus!

5. Embrace Experience

You know the saying, “Talk is Cheap?” When it comes to your active child, asking them to just sit there while you read and then talk about it isn’t enough. While encouraging them to talk to you is incredibly beneficial (especially compared to us simply talking at them), the active child needs to engage their body.

Embrace the power of experience. Challenge them to build something. For instance, if you are reading about the Alamo, have them act it out, by turning the couches into the Alamo. Have them build a Lego replica and do a demonstration for you. Instead of simply reading about the battle of Lexington and Concord, let them dress up (your coats and cardigans work well) and act it out! Dramatization is my go-to for making learning hands-on and movement-rich. I like it because it can be spontaneous and doesn’t require advance prep.

So mom, what is your best tip for how to homeschool the active child? Let us know in the comments.

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30 Days of the Best Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms Series Contributor:

Recognizing the brevity of childhood and the power of a parent’s influence, Heather both inspires and equips families toward intentional parenting, loving God, and delighting in the adventure of learning. She is the author of the GO GLOBAL curriculum, Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks, and Knights-in-Training: Ten Principles for Raising Honorable, Courageous and Compassionate Boys. She writes at www.cultivatedlearning.org.

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If there is one thing we want our children to be, it is independent. We want them to be independent readers, independent in life skills, independent in their prayer lives. As a homeschooling family, it’s important that our kids learn how to become independent homeschoolers.

How to Teach Your Kids to be Independent Homeschoolers

If you are new to homeschooling or really don’t know how to begin this process, I want to walk you through it. After all, we’re in this together! Here is how to teach your kids to be independent homeschoolers.

Know What You Want to Teach and Why

It can be hard to produce independent homeschoolers if you don’t narrow down what you want them to learn. You can raise independent homeschoolers by knowing what you want to teach them and why.

You will get them started on learning and from there, they will eventually be able to learn on their own. Narrowing down the subjects your children are learning is so important.

Of course, there will also be times when they take off in several directions, but you will be there to rein them in if they get too far off track. You can always make a list of those interests and save them for homeschool extra credit (of sorts).

Know Your Child’s Learning Style

We want our kids to “get it” and enjoy the learning process. They aren’t going to love everything but if we teach to their individual learning style it becomes a lot easier for them and us.

Public schools tend to have a set curriculum for all students. They have one way to teach and everyone has to learn that way. It’s kinda like trying to put a square peg in a circle hole. The squares cannot thrive because they are forced to be a circle.

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Homeschooling is a safe place to allow our kids to be themselves, learn the way they thrive, and even slowly build skills of the learning styles that aren’t their dominant way of learning. Yet another benefit of homeschooling – we can teach to their learning style and build their confidence to learn. Thus creating independent homeschoolers.

Independent Homeschoolers Need a Guide 

You can’t expect your kid to NEVER need your help. This is why it’s better when parents work more as guides in homeschooling. Your children will always need you in some capacity when it comes to homeschooling no matter the age or level. When you guide your child, you are telling them “hey, give this a try on your own, but I’m always here if you need my help.”

When they have a question or are struggling to move forward you are there as a helper when they get stuck. This not only gives them confidence, but it empowers your kids to want to work independently.

Allow Your Child To Work Independently

Your child will never learn how to be an independent homeschooler if you don’t allow them to work independently. Just like you may struggle when someone is looking over your shoulder, your child may struggle when you’re looking over their shoulder.

Let them try and work independently and watch them flourish. They may struggle a little bit, but the struggle is a big part of the learning process.

Let Your Children Pursue Their Interests Independently

This is where the homeschool extra credit (of sorts) comes in. Another way to teach your kids to be independent homeschoolers is to allow your children to pursue their own interests. After they have done what you ask of them, allow them to be creative, and pursue their own passions. After all, homeschooling does allow for extra time for this kind of learning to be able to happen.

When your child is following their passions homeschooling will not seem like work at all to them or you. Your child will be more engaged and will be excited to pursue new interests every single day.

Independent Learners Learn So Much

When it comes to independent learning, your children are going to learn so much. Your children are going to learn how to be independent learners, but they are going to learn how to be responsible for their own school work. They are going to learn how to take pride in their own school work.

Your children will take off with their learning and you will be super impressed with their progress. You will notice that one interest will break off into several rabbit trails and before you know it they are learning at a rapid pace, while retaining the information. When your child is interested they retain!

Allow Student Planning in Your Home

Something really cool that we’ve been using in our homeschooling is student planning pages. These free planning pages allow your student to plan what they are doing. Independent learning has truly never been easier than when you have the right tools.

Learning how to teach your kids to be independent homeschoolers may be a little easier than you thought. With the right planning and tools, your child can be an independent learner and thinker, all while being a homeschooler. 

How have you taught your children to be independent homeschoolers?

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The elementary years are an amazing time to help your kids develop a lifelong love of learning. To help your younger kids get excited about learning at home, fun is an essential element. Find out how you can keep it fun in your homeschool for your kids and you.

3 Fantastic Ways to Keep Fun In Your Homeschool

Homeschooling Can Be Fun!

As a homeschool soccer mom to 5 boys, I’ve learned quite a few important lessons. One of the biggest lessons is the importance of weaving fun into our homeschool day.

Kids, especially elementary-aged ones, are full of enthusiasm and creativity. Instead of squelching their natural curiosity and zeal, you can use homeschool fun activities to boost learning, skills development, and more.

Discover 3 Fantastic Ways to Keep Fun In Your Homeschool!Click To Tweet

Of course, everything can’t always be fun. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t think outside the box and try to make it more interesting!

To help you keep it fun in your homeschool, I’m sharing my top 3 favorite ways to make learning at home more enjoyable for all.

Celebrate Fun Days

Fun day celebrations are awesome ways to make sure you keep it fun in your homeschool. These celebrations don’t have to be elaborate or expensive. In fact, these fun holidays are often best enjoyed when your activities are simple and DIY.

To make sure that my boys and I never miss a fun holiday, we use a combination of our free Calendar of Fun Days for kids and 365 Fun Days & Activities pack. These open-and-go fun resources are perfect as part of our homeschool morning time. The boys and I have a blast talking about the variety of fun days. Plus, we learn about some pretty cool facts and figures in history!

Brain Breaks for Kids (& Moms!)

Sitting at a table for too long is frustrating and boring. Brain breaks for kids are fantastic ways to break up the monotony of your homeschool day.

This free 54 Homeschool Brain Breaks set includes a variety of printable prompts, like move-its (activities to get up and move), music, crafts, and more.

Your kids will also love these monthly brain breaks with seasonal and fun holiday themes.

This fitness fun game is wonderful for physical exercise challenges, like core strength, balance, dance, and more.

Oh, and brain breaks aren’t just for kids! Sometimes mom needs a break. Here are 25 Free Brain Breaks for Moms for Quick & Easy Self-Care.

Finding the Fun in a Subject

Even if you’re using a boxed curriculum, you can still find the fun in a subject. Check out the terrific tips and ideas that homeschoolers for How to Make Homeschool Fun with math, science, writing, reading, history, art, and music.

You can also think about ways that your child prefers to learn. Ask yourself:

• Can I add a hands-on activity to this worksheet?
• Instead of reading, spelling, or narrating, would it be more fun to sing it?
• Would a drawing or picture of this science concept make it easier to understand and more fun?
• What type of project could we work on to really make this subject come to life?
• Are there any audiobooks or songs that we can listen to as we explore this subject?

Homeschooling the elementary years is such a special time. Make the most of these moments by keeping it fun for all.

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There are many things I wish I had known when I started homeschooling. I still remember what I said the first time I heard about someone teaching their kids at home:  “I could never do that!”

I seriously didn’t think I would ever be qualified to do such a thing! At the time I didn’t know anything about homeschooling, so that made it seem very overwhelming to me.

Over time God used people and resources to change my mind, and with a bit of trepidation mixed with excitement, I began kindergarten at home with my daughter. Two years later I added our next daughter to our school, and on it went with all eight of our kids.

Over the last 31 years, I have learned many things that  I wish I had known when I first started homeschooling. I will share some of the top ones with you.

9 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started Homeschooling

1. Relationships are more important than academics

There were many times in my early days of homeschooling when I would get frustrated and impatient with one of my kids when they just couldn’t “get it”.

Math was a big struggle with one of my kids, and there were many days when she sensed my impatience or frustration. She would run to her room crying, and that was the end of our school work for the day.

Read: DON’T LET MATH RUIN YOUR HOMESCHOOL

After a while, I realized that not only was  I  allowing a face-off with an academic subject to kill her love of learning, but I was also allowing it to hurt our relationship.

At that point, I realized the subject wasn’t all that important in comparison to our relationship. Relationship always trumps academics. 

2. I wish I had known that commitment is the key to success

There have been many times when I would have rather skipped school, and just read a book or slept in. Other times, I wanted to put ALL the kids in the Christian school.

However,  my husband and I felt God had called us to teach them at home, and we made a commitment to do that.

Commitment keeps you consistent and keeps you from acting on your feelings or quitting on those rough days.

3. You are qualified to homeschool your kids

If you love to read to your kids, spend time with them, and watch them as they learn new things, you are qualified to homeschool them! Nobody loves them as you do, or knows them as well as you do.

As a homeschool parent, you don’t have to be an expert!  No teacher has all the answers, but they know where to find them. As we look for answers while teaching our kids, we are teaching them how to be lifelong learners.

4. You don’t have to teach every subject every day

In the elementary years, it’s best to focus on the 3 R’s, along with lots of reading aloud and playtime. You can introduce them to history and science by having them read historical novels and nature readers a couple of days each week.

5. I wish I knew it is normal to be afraid

We want to give our kids the best education and do all we can to prepare them for life and God’s purpose. It’s a big responsibility, so a little fear is normal.

You WILL question yourself – A LOT – especially in the beginning. That’s normal and okay. Find other homeschoolers to encourage and support you.

6. It doesn’t take all day to homeschool your kids

Much of the time that children spend at school is spent in waiting, recess, and lunch. Even though kids are at school for about 8 hours a day, they aren’t actually doing school work that whole time.

Don’t try to copy the schools or another family’s homeschool. Don’t worry if someone else spends six-plus hours a day, and your kids are done in two or three hours!

Keep in mind that kids are learning all the time, even though it may not be through sitting down and working in books.

7. There will be bad days

I wish I had known when I started homeschooling that there will be bad days. Those bad days used to really get me discouraged, but then I realized that bad days are just part of the package.

We all have days when we are tired or just not feeling up to par, and we also have those days when the kids are being extra difficult and trying our patience.

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I found that the best thing to do on those bad days is to take a break. Put the books aside and go outside for a walk, or sit at the table and play a game.

If the bad days are happening too often, try to determine what the character issues are, then take a few days to work on character.

8. You don’t need to worry about high school

Probably one of the things I hear most often when people are afraid to homeschool, is that they don’t think they can teach their kids high school.

If God has called you to homeschool, don’t worry about how you will handle it eight or nine years down the road. God just asks that you be faithful today. 

He will help you with high school when the time comes, or provide you with the help you need. God doesn’t call us to something, and then not provide the help we need!

9. Homeschooling will reveal your character flaws, and help you grow

It was probably on the very first day of our home school that my lack of patience was revealed! God used my difficult children to help me grow in the areas of self-control on a daily basis.

Homeschooling also gives you the opportunity to see the character flaws in your kids, and work on them daily as you are teaching them.

If they are having a bad attitude, it’s much better to stop the work and deal with it than let them get two lessons done with a bad attitude.

When there is a problem with obedience, address it right away. Read:10 Tips For First Time Obedience

Having the kids there gives us a definite opportunity to work on their character. Don’t look at it as a disturbance, but rather take advantage of those chances to train them in Godly behavior and character.

What you know or don’t know as you begin to home school, or continue to home school, isn’t the big issue. The most important thing you need to know is that you have to rely on God. Don’t start a day of your school without first seeking Him in prayer for direction and wisdom.

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During my past 31 years of homeschooling our eight kids, I have often had parents ask me, “How do you do it with so many kids? How were you able to stick with it for 31 years?!” Do you have a secret to easy homeschooling?

There was a time when homeschooling overwhelmed me, and I was exhausted and burned out. I was struggling to keep up with the needs of all the kids, as I tried to teach them. However, when I learned this little secret to easy homeschooling, all of that changed!

I still had times when it was difficult and I was tired, but I was no longer constantly overwhelmed.

The Secret To Easy Homeschooling

The secret I learned:  teach your kids to be independent learners! It really is possible, and it really does work.

Due to necessity with difficult pregnancies, my older kids started doing their school work on their own. By the time they were in about fourth grade, they were working on their own. I still checked in on them and helped them occasionally as needed.

Because we had worked hard to develop good character in them, they were trustworthy and responsible and did very well on their own.

They even enjoyed it.

They liked being in charge of their learning, and it gave them a sense of confidence that they could learn on their own, with the right tools.

Often we think that our home school must mirror a public or private school, with Mom standing up teaching the kids all their subjects, then giving them assignments to do. This requires Mom to make lesson plans for several kids and many subjects.

As a result, Mom ends up stressed and overwhelmed because she spends most of the day teaching, and then tries to do lesson planning, grading, and all of her household duties in the evening.

No wonder home school moms burnout and quit!

Don’t make it harder on yourself than you have to!

There are so many advantages to the secret of teaching your kids to be independent learners:

• More time for Mom to devote to the younger kids that still need her help
• Less planning and preparation time for Mom
• Children remember more when they are learning it on their own, rather than being spoon-fed
• Children learn to think for themselves, and can pursue their interests

Perhaps you are wondering how this works?

Of course, when your kids are young, and just starting school, you will have to be involved. They can’t learn phonics and reading on their own. They will also need you to help them with basic math skills.

Until they are able to read fairly well on their own, you will be teaching them and working with them.

During that time, teach them CHARACTER! They need to learn to obey and do what they are told to do cheerfully. They need to learn to be responsible, and trustworthy.

Once they have grown in character and developed self-discipline, you can start gradually having them do more of their work on their own.

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You will also need some type of chart for the kids to know what they are supposed to do daily, weekly, and for the school year.

I made charts for the kids with the subjects listed, gave them their books, and let them make goals for how they were going to finish their work during the school year.

You can see the charts and lots of tips in my set Tips & Charts for Stress Free Planning & Scheduling.

They loved being responsible for their learning and being the one to set up their schedule for daily work.

Don’t just give them books and charts. For this to work, you have to let the kids know what your expectations are. 

Our kids knew they had to do a certain amount of schoolwork each week. If they chose to do extra for four days so they could have the fifth day off, that was okay.

We still chose to do some subjects together because we all enjoyed that, but having the older kids do the rest of their work independently left me with enough time to work with the younger learners, as well as spend time with the babies/preschoolers.

This little secret won’t necessarily make your homeschooling EASY, but it will definitely make it much EASIER!

***

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It is easy these days to get overwhelmed with all the things we’re supposed to do as homeschool moms, isn’t it? So many subjects, methods, checklists, standards… so many articles about all the things our homeschool needs to be successful. All the guilt-inducing photos on Pinterest and Instagram.

Sometimes these things can be helpful. But sometimes they only lead to exhaustion and discouragement. Well, friend, I’m here to ease your burden! Here are 10 things you DON’T have to do in your homeschool.

10 Things You DON’T Have to Do in Your Homeschool

1) What the Public Schools are Doing

Not only do you not have to do what the public schools are doing, but it isn’t even recommended. Now, you probably will do that a little bit if you went to public school. After all, it’s what you’re used to, and that’s ok. But you’ll soon find that the public school baggage is not necessary at all and can even get in the way of the many benefits of homeschooling.

Instead, start to think about homeschooling as a private home tutoring model. Focus on your child’s needs and your goals for their education. It’s a paradigm shift you’ll end up loving! It’s more effective than trying to replicate a model designed for government education. 

2) What Other Homeschoolers are Doing

It’s always helpful and fun to glean ideas from web sites, blogs, and our homeschooling friends. I enjoy it, too! Just keep reminding yourself of this important truth: your homeschool is unique and doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s!

In fact, your homeschool experience will be more successful and enjoyable if you avoid falling into the comparison trap. Consider all those ideas a buffet to choose from and craft your own awesome homeschool!

3) Early Academics 

Kids don’t NEED early academics beyond read alouds and joining the family in regular life experiences. Really. There’s rarely a need for early reading programs, flashcards, preschool or kindergarten curriculum, etc. So don’t hesitate to set aside the lesson plans until 1st or 2nd grade (keeping your state laws in mind, of course).

However, dear mama, if you WANT to do some early academics, don’t feel guilty about that either! As long as your child is enjoying it, you’re fine. Just be careful not to start pushing for performance, because kids in these early years have a wide range in terms of developmental readiness and it’s best to do learning in a natural and gentle way. 

4) Be an Expert on Anything

You can homeschool your child in all the subjects without being an expert in any of them. You will be learning along with your child, and it’s actually one of the awesome things about homeschooling! Remember that many parents have homeschooled their kids from birth through high school and have graduated them successfully. You can, too!

Don’t let anyone make you feel like you are not trained or knowledgeable enough to teach your own kids.  It’s just false. Especially nowadays with all the resources available to us, all you really need to be an expert on is your own child.

5) Find the Perfect Curriculum

I’ll be the first to admit that I love curriculum research and shopping. But don’t let that turn into analysis paralysis! You aren’t likely to find THE ONE curriculum that does everything you want and works for every child and every circumstance. So go ahead and stop stressing over that.

The best curriculum is the one you actually use. Further, many curriculum options can be adapted to fit your needs. So do your research to find the curriculum that meets your goals and dive in. Just don’t be surprised by hiccups! Tweak those materials as needed to make them work for you and go right on homeschooling. 

6) Craft the Perfect Schedule

In our first years of homeschooling I spent a lot of time spinning my wheels trying to put together the perfect schedule. It was exhausting! After 10 years of homeschooling, here’s what I can tell you: the very nature of families who are always growing and learning makes “the perfect” homeschool schedule impossible.

Now, having some structure for our days is a good thing. It’s a huge blessing to my family to have flexible rhythms and routines that help us thrive. But sketch those routines in pencil! Remember that they will change along with your family’s seasons and milestones.

[Read: Using Rhythms and Routines for Homeschool Planning]

7) Do Lesson Planning

It may seem like having detailed lesson plans for the week or month is a good idea. But if you’re anything like me, those shiny plans never actually happen and you end up feeling defeated. If you LOVE to run your homeschool with lesson plans, then definitely do that! But if you struggle with it, consider ditching the detailed lesson plans.

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I like to use my planner to make general goals for the year, sketch out things like projects and field trips for the upcoming quarter, and then after that… I just write down each month what we actually DO! It is so freeing. It can also help you realize how much you do each week that is learning outside of the lesson plans. 

[Read: Managing Your Work with Loop Scheduling]

8) Stick to Your Plans

Whether your plans are loose or detailed, don’t sweat it if you veer off plan. Flexibility and freedom – that’s what homeschooling is all about! If the day is gorgeous, go on a nature walk and don’t fret about the desk work. If there is illness or major life change happening, make your homeschool fit your life and not the other way around.

While a certain level of perseverance and consistency over the course of your homeschool years is helpful, remember that a detour doesn’t have to sink you, whether it’s for a day, a week, a month, or even sometimes the whole year. Adjust as needed and move on!

9) Make Everything Fun or Beautiful

Of course, we want our kids to remember our homeschool years fondly. We want to incorporate things that are interesting, fun, engaging, and beautiful. But as great as those can be, don’t think that you’re failing if things aren’t always fun or beautiful.

Sometimes our goals are to manage to take a shower, get the baby to nap, or check math off for the day, and that’s totally ok! For days when you CAN do some fun and beautiful, don’t discount the simple things like playing board games or going for a walk around the neighborhood to look at nature. 

10) Worry Whether You’re Doing Enough 

Every homeschool mom worries about this. Group hug! But here’s the thing: If you’re worrying about whether or not you’re doing enough, you probably don’t need to worry about it at all. Intentional parents who do their best to help their children know and love God and to educate them well… those parents are doing exactly what they are called to do and the Lord will equip them for the task.

Will it be perfect? No. Will there be gaps in their education? Yes, because every education has gaps. The key is to keep your eyes on Christ and your priorities in focus. The rest will fall into place! 

[Download the Free Prayer Calendar for Homeschool Moms]

You’ve got this, friend! When you start to feel overwhelmed, come back to this list of what you don’t have to do in your homeschool and take a deep breath. 

As parents, you are ultimately responsible for your children’s education. Design your homeschool as you see fit. Then enjoy your kids and the homeschool journey!

~ Tauna

***

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Tauna Meyer is a homeschooling mom of 6 who speaks to women with encouragement that is relatable and tools that work in real life. She has a passion for helping moms overcome the hurdles that keep them from homeschooling successfully, all while pointing themselves and their children to Christ. Visit Tauna at Proverbial Homemaker today! 

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Homeschooling multiple children who are different ages, in different grades, and with varying learning needs is truly a gift. However, sometimes, when you glance at your full quiver, it may not feel like it. But deep down, we know it is totally a blessing.

The question then becomes – “How do I overcome the multiple struggle of homeschooling a full quiver?” Well, friend, keep reading to discover my answer to the concern that you and so many other precious mamas have.

Tips for Overcoming the Multiple Struggle

Be patient

Although it is easier said than done, being patient, flexible, and having expectations will help build a sturdy foundation. Add a dose of discipline, and you will be well-equipped for an environment that may tend to get a little hectic at times. It is to be expected; however, it does not have to burn all your energy and end in more days wasted than saved.

Forget the status quo

It is super important to forget the status quo. Forget what people are saying, and ignore unreliable suggestions about how you should be teaching your children. Instead, focus on homeschooling your children where they are. Take time to do a mental rundown of how your children learn best and your preferred teaching style.

If you are like me, this is something I would have to write down. If you do choose to write it down, consider adding it to your homeschool planning binder, if you use one, and update as necessary.

Find what works for your homeschool

When it comes to learning styles and methods, find what works for you, your children, and everyone collectively. It can be a lot easier if you have an idea about your teaching style and ways your children learn best before diving into much else.

Set aside a few minutes to take a quiz for each of your children to help get an idea of their learning style, and go from there. Knowing this can help you plan and prepare to teach multiple children with less stress.

Plan your homeschool

You know how the saying goes – If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This doesn’t mean you need to plan a homeschool boot camp, but it does mean having some sort of structure. I recommend starting by making a generic schedule. If the word schedule scares you, make a chart.

Keep in mind that this is not the detailed minute-by-minute for the next four weeks kind of schedule (or chart). It’s more like an overview. Just know that having a basic schedule, or chart, is a great start.

How to Homeschool a Full Quiver

Don’t do more than you need to

Another misconception is when you are teaching multiple children, you must be all over the place, all the time. This does not have to be the case, and you don’t have to do more work than you need to. If you haven’t done the research already, you may be shocked at just how many ideas there are about ways to homeschool multiple kiddos. Too many to name, but we are going to talk about a few that hold top spots on the overall list.

Use Integrated Learning in Your Homeschool

Integrated learning is one of the most common ways moms homeschool multiple children. This also takes the name of group learning, group time, family learning, and/or circle time. Basically, all the children are learning and participating together.

This is a perfect way to do collective praying, Bible reading, concept and lesson introduction, and whatever else you want to do. I personally like this way because I can maintain what would normally turn into a hectic situation while still focusing on individual children when needed.

Group Learning While Homeschooling

Group learning makes for a smooth transition into independent learning. Independent learning doesn’t necessarily start at a certain age or grade while homeschooling. It is more dependent on the level of maturity. As a mile marker, it can start once a child is able to read and comprehend directions. Now, it doesn’t mean responsibility with no deadlines or supervision… even as an adult, I still need deadlines and some supervision, don’t you?

Independent Learning in Your Homeschool

Some parents find that independent learning is made easier with Sue Patrick’s workbox system. This particular system has various advantages beyond increasing a child’s self-control, independence, and learning.

The main goals of the homeschool workbox system are:

• to create ways to present curriculum to our children in ways that are inviting and make sense to them
• enhance teaching angles that offer more effective teaching
• help the child be more focused while completing work successfully and independently.

The Double-Up Method

When independent work isn’t the best option, consider what I call the double-up method. This means teaching the same subject, at the same time, to all children. The only difference is the level of work and understanding will vary.

This is like circle time, or group learning but is more subject-focused versus “start of the day activities” focused. I normally use this method with unit studies because I can read something, then follow up with worksheets, activities, or videos that are tailored to each of my children’s age and grade.

Use Online Homeschool Curriculum

With today’s technology, using an online curriculum is another way to manage multiple ages. This will also take a little bit of independent learning but can be an amazing tool. We have found several online programs that allow our son to work at his individual level, and the pace is customized to his needs.

Final Thoughts from a Homeschooling Mom of Multiples

While talking about these teaching multiple children ideas is a good thing, remember to be open for change. You may find that a piece of this method works combined with another piece from another method. I actually homeschool with what I call a mixed-method style! Whatever you choose, don’t hesitate to switch things up, and continue accommodating as you see fit.

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Finding a system that works is certainly a process. It is easy to get lost in piecing this together and breaking that apart, but let us not forget to take care of ourselves. Our “me-time” gets stretched enough between having multiple kids, caring for them, taking care of the home, cooking, cleaning, etc.

Let us also plan for a moment to ourselves, whether it be early morning quiet time with the Father, or a relaxing bath before bedtime. You are supermom, indeed; but even a superhero needs downtime. So, don’t feel guilty about planning that for yourself!

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30 Days of the Best Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms Series Contributor:

Michelle Huddleston is a seven-year homeschooling mama to 5 blessings who range from infant to 12 years old. She doesn’t claim to have it all together, but what she does have is the passion to help other mamas homeschool with grace and ease. Michelle would love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.