Is Homeschooling Hard? Is Homeschooling Better?

CHALLENGE #1: “Is homeschooling better? Because I get ZERO alone time. It’s an endless summer vacation.”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘Yes, we might have our kids with us most of the time, more of the time, or what feels like ALL of the time. Especially while they’re little! But childhood passes by so quickly. Will we ever regret the days and time we got to spend together?? The older and more independent they get, the more space and time I’ll get too.

TIPS:

1. Focus on the moments you can get more space to yourself and ‘refill your cup.’ Does scrolling on social media actually help when you have a minute to spare, or you literally need to just focus on your breathing for a few?
2. Look for co-op programs where the kids can attend for part-time in-person learning.
3. Rotate responsibilities if you have a partner to do so.
4. Hire a babysitter. Maybe even share one with a friend – one sitter for multiple kids at one house. Or swap babysitting days with friends or other homeschool mamas.
5. Enlist family to help.
6. Reserve screen time or a bin of special activities for quiet time purposes.

CHALLENGE #2: “Is homeschooling hard? Kids just want to eat all day and it’s tons of work.”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘Kids are growing and sometimes it feels like they’re eating all day, whether they’re homeschool students or not. We definitely notice when the kids are busy, they can get so focused on their play and projects that they might even forget to eat for a while.

TIPS:

1. Make meal prep and planning inclusive to where the kids can help prep, cut, measure, whatever they’re capable of!
2. Let the crockpot do the work. Prep it in the morning and let it do its thing all day.
3. Batch prep multiple meals and stock your fridge or freezer. (Check out The Family Freezer for tons of ideas!)
4. Making food with younger children can seem like a lot. You can always set them up with bowls and spoons while you’re in the kitchen, too. I love this book Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans and her perspective about getting the kids helping at super young ages, as it’s done in so many other countries.
5. Reserve screen time or a bin of special activities for quiet time purposes.

CHALLENGE #3: “Is homeschooling better? Homeschool is probably so expensive!”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘We’re designing our homeschool. We have no one to keep up with but ourselves. We get to choose what curriculum and materials we use, and nature is our favorite classroom. Material “stuff” is not the priority, and we definitely don’t need anything fancy if it’s causing stress at this point.

TIPS:

1. Check Facebook marketplace and Facebook homeschool groups for curriculum and materials for sale, often much less than directly from a website. These groups don’t have to be local – lots of sellers ship to you
2. Libraries! Hello free books, audiobooks, and classes. Our state libraries also offer free passes to local museums, state parks, the local zoo, etc.
3. Find homeschool discounts. Lots of stores that offer educator discounts (including Target, Barnes & Noble, and Thriftbooks) offer the same courtesy to homeschool educators. Same for places that offer field trips – ask about homeschool group accomodations. We’ve also visited Legoland during their Homeschool Weeks for a fun field trip. [If any establishments request a homeschool ID, you can grab one here and here.]
4. Get outside! There’s so much learning to be had out there that doesn’t cost a thing, and it just makes you feel better! If you happen to have a fourth grader, you can also take advantage of the Every Kid Outdoors program to explore even more.

CHALLENGE #4: “Is homeschooling hard? The kids don’t see me as a proper teacher! I’m not certified or organized enough.”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘Thank goodness my children have ME/US as their parents. If we were to send them to traditional day school, they’d be in a classroom all day with teachers (hopefully) doing their best, too. Those teachers might be an expert in their field or subject, but so am I. AND, we get to teach and encourage our child’s learning through the lens of unconditional love and support.

That’s way higher on the priority list than organized papers and lesson plans.

TIPS:

1. No need to try and recreate school at home. Standard school are designed for mass learning and groups of children. You are providing a high-quality, individualized learning experience, adapting to your child’s needs and strengths 🙂 And that’s amazing.
2. If you feel as if you’re not sure you’re doing enough, branch out to homeschool resources via books, groups, podcasts, or whatever you need to understand that you are capable of homeschooling and you can get the support you need.

CHALLENGE #5: “Is homeschooling better? Homeschooling takes so much planning and time out of my day.”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘We don’t need to necessarily be doing it in this way. Maybe we’ve come to a point where it’s time to try something new. There are lots of education options that are open and go, with little to no prep work. When I do sit down to plan and assess the overview of each week, month, or year as a whole, I know that everything is falling into place.

TIPS:

1. Re-evaluate your homeschool schedule. Are you aiming for a strict schedule with maximum days for maximum hours? Know your homeschool laws – some states have a requirement for a certain number of hours, but most do not. Can you change up how you’re approaching your days?
2. If your child has previously attended school outside of the home, did you take a period off for deschooling? This can help with the overwhelm for everyone in the family.
3. When our kids were in public school, I also felt like that was a ton of prep and planning to just have a few hours to spend with them before and after school (mostly while they were cranky + exhausted from their day). Public school also required prep in the form of projects and homework, theme days, conferences and back-to-school nights (all on someone else’s terms), and then you’re still tackling the dailies like packing lunches, dinner, baths, bedtime, only to do it all over again the next day. That felt rushed and exhausting too.

CHALLENGE #6: “Is homeschooling hard? Homeschool feels stressful. Am I doing it right? Am I doing enough?”

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:

‘I know we have resources to help us with this. We’ve chosen a curriculum that offers support and guidance. Or, if you’re unschooling: We’ve chosen a path in which my child is leading the way for learning and we’re deep-diving into their innate talents and abilities. We tap into local resources, support from other homeschool families, and we tap into prayer. God gave me the desire and direction to homeschool and therefore I connect with that inner knowing that we’re supposed to be doing this at this time!

TIPS:

1. This quote is a great reminder: “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.” Exodus 4, 10-11. So, are you called to homeschool? We know that we are, and we lean into that, especially on the hard days.
2. And remember… there’s always tomorrow to reset and begin again!