Don’t overdo it
When you are just starting your homeschool adventure it may be tempting to do too much. Don’t spend a lot of money on curriculums that you may not end up using. Don’t try to cram too much into each day. Try to be flexible while you are learning and see what works well for you, your budget, and your kids while still meeting the requirements. Take it a little at a time and you will become more comfortable and confident.
Enjoy the time
Homeschooling is fun and allows for quality time as a family. Whether you are homeschooling due to social distancing and plan to return to a traditional classroom or you are wanting to homeschool full time, you get to be a role model to your kids. As adults, we can learn new things too. You do not have to know about everything you teach prior to teaching it. Have fun learning along the way, experience reading new books with your kids, enjoy watching them discover new things, and enjoy the quality time together.
A note about continuous online learning
Distance learning or continuous online learning is not the same as homeschooling. Many of us were thrown into teaching our kids at home during a high stress time. Parents are trying to work from home, keep up with their daily responsibilities, and deal with the emotional stressors that go along with a quarantine for both themselves and their children, all while teaching their kids at home for the first time. Many are dealing with financial troubles, disappointments as things they were looking forward to are postponed or cancelled, and have feelings of loneliness and depression. All of these complicated feelings combined with jumping into homeschooling unprepared is a lot for all of us. During this time, give yourself and your kids grace to make mistakes, to have days where online learning doesn’t work, to adjust, learn, and grow during this time. It’s enough to do your best each day, one day at a time. You may find that you love the idea of homeschooling your kids and decide to do it full time in the future.
If you think homeschooling is a good option for your family, start by talking to some friends in your community that have experience with teaching their kids at home. They will be a great resource for support in your area.
