6 Important Tips for New Homeschoolers
Here is a list of my 6 most important tips for NEW homeschoolers (and some of them may shock you!)
1. De-school before you homeschool!
If you are taking your kids out of public school and homeschooling for the first time, take a month (or two or twelve) to de-school. Homeschool isn’t public school at home, so don’t try to make it be! Take time to relax and find your own rhythm before jumping into a schedule.
2. Wake up before your kids!
I know the struggle is real. Especially if you have a large family, special needs kids, or a newborn. Waking up before the kids can feel like another horrible chore that you would rather avoid, but trust me, waking up an hour (or two) before your kids is a game changer. Just try for a week.
3. Every day is a new beginning!
Did you spend hours and hours planning out your school year only to have your first day of homeschool turn into a disaster? Relax! Don’t feel like you have to play “catch up” every time things don’t go as planned. Every day is a fresh start, so start with a new attitude, take things one day at a time, and have FUN!
4. Read to your kids!
Did you know that just HAVING books available in your home increases a child’s vocabulary, academic success, attention span, comprehension, and their chances of a successful future career? So read to them, mama. Read the Bible, religious books, non-fiction, picture books, lift-the-flap books, even their curriculum.
5. Curriculum doesn’t matter!
Yeah, I said it. Your curriculum choices don’t really matter. What matters is your ATTITUDE! You can spend hours pouring over hundreds of curriculum choices but at the end of the day, curriculum isn’t magic. It’s not going to teach your kids FOR you or conjure up fun FOR you. Curriculum is just a tool, and like any tool, it’s all in how you use it!
6. Teach them about God!
Yeah, I saved the most important tip for last to make sure you were still reading!!! You may think this one is a matter of opinion but it’s the glue that holds all the other tips above, together. It’s the most important “subject” of all to teach and is far more important than all the other so-called “required subjects”.
“We don’t list “humility” among our school subjects or put it on a transcript, but that is actually the little secret of classical education.”
-Karen Glass
I’m not home schooling yet, but I will be in the near future. My BIGGEST concern is having an only child. I follow so many homeschool moms and they all have multiple children. I always think my son would be so bored and lonely not being around other kids. Any tips for this or do you know of any moms similar situation I could follow too? You are so inspiring and I enjoy following you and your family.
Hi Amy! No, don’t worry about boredom at all. There are so many fun extra things you can do like field trips to museums, aquariums, zoos, playground, etc. You can even find local homeschool co-ops in your area. I can help you find one in your area if you need help, but they are usually easy to find on Facebook. You can also arrange play dates with local moms or your church (if you have one). There are plenty of fun things to do outside your home that will offer opportunities for socialization. Send me a DM on Instagram and I will tag you in a few posts!