Surround yourself with the right support network
Homeschooling can be a lonely place when you’re new, especially if the concept itself is new to your own family and friends. It is essential that you take the time to find the right people to surround yourself with. Here are some things to consider as you set up your support network:
- Look for other homeschooling families that are aligned with your reasons for homeschooling, and your overall philosophy, not your religion, politics, or homeschool methods.
- Stop answering questions from people who are not supportive of your decision to homeschool.
- Find a healthy balance of non-homeschooling connections, mentors, professionals, and community resources.
- Make sure you have at least one person who will cheer you on when you’re low, someone who will challenge the way you think, and someone who can be a lifeline of support.
Let go of homeschooling stereotypes
We all have ideas about what it means to homeschool, a picture that comes to our minds of the perfect experience. While it is amazing to have something worthy to aspire to, understand that your life homeschooling is going to be very much like your life without homeschooling – but with homeschooling. The things your family already prefers will likely be the things you engage most. The way your family functions on a normal week will be very similar to what you achieve when it comes to your homeschooling achievements.
Don’t compare your own, real life, to the instagram version of someone else’s life.
Learn to ask “why”
“Why am I doing this particular activity?” “Why am I making my kids do it?” “Why am I measuring myself in this way?”
When you begin to ask “why,” you realize that most of the things we associate with school have very little to do with the education of your child. Schools are not made to give one child the best education possible. They are designed to manage the educational needs of an entire community. Much of what seems like school is really necessary for the organization and tracking of large groups of students, and if you ask the question “why,” you may find there are many expectations you can let go of.
Rethink age expectations
Similar to asking “why,” when we look at age expectations we find that the theory behind such goals has more to do with what is best within the structure of traditional school, not what is best for your individual child. During class time in a school, an entire group of students from diverse backgrounds with diverse aptitudes and challenges has to get what they need so they can move on to the next thing. The only way to do that is to lock in very clear goals that apply to everyone. To do otherwise would be chaos in the classroom.
But you know your child. And if your child falls behind one year, they can catch up the next. If they are ahead one year, they might slow down the following year. There’s no testing or tracking required because you only have your own children to pay attention to, and you usually know what they know. There’s no need for failure, as you aren’t concerned with one class or one grade level before they move forward, beyond the power of your assistance. Your child will still be there with you next year, and you have the power to make any adjustments needed for their success.
Learn from the best
Educational theory exists, as mentioned, to manage the educational needs of a community, as much as to help individual children succeed. Some of the brightest minds of our time question the way we are educating the future generation.
Disconnect yourself from echo-chambers of ideology. Exploring ideas outside of school systems will help you see your children as not just temporary students, but lifelong learners who can seamlessly transition into the world. This helps tremendously when you get to the teenage years, as you learn to coach your kids to self-directed goal setting and independent work.
