I have always enjoyed doing arts and crafts projects with my boys as an add-on to our homeschool curriculum. But as they’ve gotten older, I have found it a bit harder to teach them art because they have less patience with the process of art. They want to have the satisfaction of a completed project at the conclusion of an art lesson instead of working for hours upon hours or days upon days to create something to be proud of.
In desperation to find art projects they would all be willing to work on, I turned to YouTube. Success! We found plenty of wonderful videos and have now started using them once a week as informal homeschool art classes.
I first watch each video in its entirety and gather all the needed supplies. I then sit with the boys and watch the video, pausing the recording after each step in the art process demonstrated. I model what was just shown on the screen and give help or encouragement as needed. Once everyone is ready to move on, we resume the video back, watch a bit more, and then pause again as needed. We keep moving through the lesson in small steps and re-watch any parts we need to.
Here are some of our favorite art videos thus far.
This 12-minute video takes the viewer step by step through the process of re-creating Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers using oil pastels. The video starts with a quick overview of what the finished project will look like and what supplies are needed.
This 12-minute video shows how to use the illusion of light and shadow to make traditional shapes like a sphere, cone, and rectangular prisms look three dimensional when drawing with charcoal.
Working with watercolors can be intimidating but this quick 8-minute video shows how easy watercolors can be. It illustrates how to paint two different sunsets of the sky over the ocean using different colors and similar techniques.
Once you get started on YouTube art tutorials, you can find dozens of resources to keep you busy for months on end. I’ll close with a tip: I often leave the day’s art supplies out for a couple of days afterthe lesson in the hopes that my boys will be encouraged to play around with the techniques and medium. Sometimes I spy them toying with the watercolors even without the direction of YouTube. That’s a homeschool win!
About the Author
Joanne Rawson is the author of the blog Our Unschooling Journey. Known around the web as Mother of 3, Joanne began her blog when she first started homeschooling her three boys in 2012. She lives in Connecticut with her family and enjoys reading, crafting, and traveling… all of which usually ends up on her blog.
Most homeschooling families have the same basic checklist when trying to choose from the endless curriculums available. We are all looking for one that fits our kids’ learning styles and our budget. We also want one that won’t bore us to death but covers the subjects our state requires. Talk about stress, we have all been there.
Unique Challenges of Military Families
Military families are rare. Homeschooling military families are even more rare. We have our own unique set of struggles. Things like deployments, learning new homeschool laws with each move, and even homeschooling from a hotel room while between base assignments. Long periods of time away from a parent is the norm for the homeschooled child in a military family. Keeping track of your homeschooling materials during moves? It’s a challenge!
Imagine you are happy with your curriculum in your low-regulated homeschool state. Your children are thriving, and everyone is breezing through life. Suddenly, you learn that you are moving in one month and you have absolutely no choice in the matter. You are going to a state that has stricter homeschool regulations, which include making progress reports and providing an upfront yearly overview. Or imagine that your school year is going smoothly, and your spouse receives orders to go away for six to twelve months for training or deployment, leaving you as the sole parent and educator at home. This is the life of the many military families that choose to homeschool. Hello, instant stress headache.
Relief is on the Way
Wouldn’t it be a little easier to breathe if we had one solid curriculum that covered all the topics our kids need to learn? Then we could stop panicking every time we get those dreaded orders to move.
I wanted a stress-free curriculum that would make my homeschooling life easy, and it delivered. I no longer have to worry if my boys will have a well-rounded curriculum. No more pulling my hair out, wondering if I am meeting the requirements of any state we can possibly be moved to, especially if the move is in the middle of the year.
We are currently in that exact situation, living in a half-packed house, eating random meals while trying to clean out the panty. And for once, worrying about homeschooling laws is the last thing on my mind. As a homeschool mom, this is huge. Normally I eat, live, and breathe homeschool worries.
But this time I know everything will be just fine because BookShark has my entire year planned out for me.
A Lifesaver
A plus with BookShark is that it will grow with my kids. I won’t have to switch curriculums when they get older and I can stay with what I know and trust. But not-so-secretly, my main reason for loving BookShark as a military family is their awesome Instructor’s Guide. Sounds silly, right? It is a lifesaver during deployments when one parent is holding down the fort alone. I started BookShark Level B with my boys when their dad was deployed.
Thanks to the Instructor’s Guide, no matter what type of day I was having, I managed to stay right on track, and their education didn’t suffer. Also, the curriculum is flexible and the guide is so easy to understand. When Dad is stateside, he is able to pick up a book and teach whatever topic comes next. It’s a real gift for him to be involved in his kids’ education while he’s able, especially because he knows that he might be sent away at any time.
Peace of Mind
The military homeschool family is unique in many ways. But one thing we will always share with our civilian counterparts is wanting what is best for our families and children. With a life as challenging as ours, I am glad to know that BookShark is there to ease one more worry from my mind.
About the Author
Ashley Panzica-Tolbert is a skirt wearing Army veteran who also happens to be the homeschooling and adventure finding mom of 2 boys. Her massive caffeine addiction and BookShark curriculum get her through the frequent moves and deployments of military life as a homeschool family.
Homeschooling is hard. Worth it, but still hard. Sending your child to school has its challenges as well, and when I weighed the stresses on sending my kids to public school versus those of homeschooling, I chose the stresses of homeschooling.
Most of the time, I would say that the stresses are about equal, at least for our family size. Getting four little kids out the door and into the car five days a week for drop-off and pick-up? I shudder just thinking about it.
Our first year of homeschooling was wonderful, mostly because we were surrounded by close friends. Even though we never lived close to family, there were several people I trusted who I could call and ask to watch my kids when I needed a break. I also had a couple of local homeschool mom friends who I leaned on for asking advice or venting frustrations.
I underestimated the impact of losing that support system.
Shortly after we started our second year of homeschooling, we made our first long-distance move. We left our home of the past 14 years and moved over 500 miles away from everything we knew.
I’ve spent the past year and half homeschooling without a support system. Without that support system, the stress scales tip. I confess that more than once, I’ve fantasized about sending my kids to school.
My reasons for homeschooling thankfully outweighed the difficulties, and we are still homeschooling today. Slowly, ever so slowly, I am building a new support system, but doing so has taken a lot of emotional energy on my part.
Because this is still fresh for me, and my support system is still a work in progress, I’d love to share what I’ve learned about surviving as a homeschool mom without a support system.
1. Find an Online Support Group
Thank goodness for the internet! Yes, our smart phones are a distraction, and the internet has more than its share of drawbacks, but what did homeschool moms do before the internet? They were far more isolated, that’s what!
Facebook groups for homeschool moms are plentiful, so if you haven’t joined any, now’s the time to find a few that work for you. (There is even an unofficial BookShark group you can join.) While many moms use Facebook groups to ask questions about curriculum, schedules, and learning difficulties, Facebook groups can be a great place to vent about the things that only another homeschool mom will understand. You just need to find the right groups.
Admittedly, finding the right group can take a little bit of trial and error. But your groups are out there! I recommend joining several different groups. With time, you will figure out which groups are going to be the most helpful to you as far a support goes. Eventually, you may develop relationships with a smaller group of moms within the group that could evolve into a surprisingly strong support system, though eventually you will need local support (see point #4 below).
2. Make Alone Time a Priority
You and I both know that getting alone time as a homeschool mom is important. When you have no support system? Alone time is more than a #selfcare hashtag you put on your Instagrams; it’s critical for your mental health.
Actually, getting that time is much easier said than done. I know what it’s like to not be able to afford a babysitter. Then there’s the problem of allocating babysitting funds to competing needs: date nights to strengthen your marriage versus alone time to save your sanity. And even if you have the money for babysitting, sometimes finding a babysitter you feel comfortable leaving your kids with is the greater challenge.
All of these obstacles leave you, for better or for worse, heavily reliant on your spouse to get that precious alone time. Communication is key. Sometimes, we assume our spouse knows we need a break. Trust me–they don’t.
You need to communicate to your spouse just how much you need this alone time to be a better mom, to be a better wife. Be clear and specific about what you need.
And when they offer you that break–even if it’s just going to grocery store alone, take them up on it. Seriously. Don’t be a martyr! Drop what you’re doing and go for it; these opportunities don’t come around all that often.
3. Go Ahead! Use Screens in Your Homeschool
When the babysitting money is gone or non-existent and you literally have no one to call to get a break, don’t be afraid to use media. I know, I know. In certain parenting circles, screen-time is the devil–right up there with red food coloring and McDonald’s.
I’m not in that camp, but it’s taken me a long time to get over the guilt of using screens to get a break. Now don’t get me wrong. When my kids choose outside time over screens, my heart skips a beat, and I pat myself on the back. However, when you have no support system, something needs to give.
Especially if you are an introverted homeschool mom, rest time, getting up before your kids, and early bedtimes will only get you so far. You need to make compromises around screentime if you’re going to avoid homeschool mom burnout.
I cannot believe how many educational shows, YouTube channels, and documentaries created specifically for kids exist today. Here are some lists to get you started:
4. Work to Develop a Local, In-person Support System
Building a new, local support system is one of the most emotionally exhausting things I’ve ever done…but eventually, you really are going to need it. You cannot live without it long-term. Homeschoolers need community, plain and simple; you can only survive on an island for so long.
That being said, it takes a lot of emotional energy to put yourself out there over and over again, and as homeschool moms, our emotional energy is limited. So, you need to take it slow and set small goals.
Here are some possible goals to get your started:
Try one new co-op a semester.
Set up one playdate with an acquaintance.
Check out a local homeschool mom night.
Try one new church a month.
Strike up one conversation a week with another mom at the park.
After you’ve completed your goal for the month or the week, give yourself permission to make no other effort whatsoever. It could happen faster than you think, or you could be at this for a couple of years. Allocate a certain amount of emotional energy to rebuilding and trust the rest to time.
A Final Encouragement (For the Days When You Want to Give Up)
You can homeschool without a support system. I’ve used the first three tips to make it this far, and as for the last tip, you never know when you’re going to strike gold, when your choice to put yourself out there one more time will finally pay off.
I met my closest friend in our new city at the park last summer. I put myself out there again, after six months of striking out in these types of situations. Because we only have one car, this was an evening park visit, and I completely exhausted. Quite honestly, I would rather have been sitting quietly on a bench reading a book than initiating a conversation with yet another complete stranger.
But I did it anyways. I chose a mom who looked more exhausted and lonelier than I was (that’s a bonus tip for you!), and I put myself out there for what felt like the millionth time.
We hit it off right away and have been close ever since. Our kids are the same age, and while they don’t homeschool, we have so much in common.
My support system is still weak. One good friend and a couple acquaintances are not enough. But it’s a start, and a few small successes have given me the resolve to keep going, to keep trying, to trust that it won’t be this hard forever.
Keep going! Both in homeschooling, and in rebuilding your support system. It’s worth it.
About the Author
June loves deep discussions about homeschooling, parenting, and minimalism. When she’s not homeschooling, decluttering, or blogging at This Simple Balance, she loves to enjoy perfect silence while sipping a hot cup of coffee and thinking uninterrupted thoughts—which, of course, with four kids ages eight and under doesn’t happen very often!
One thing many homeschool moms want to do is land a work at home job. Relying on one income in today’s economy can be tough, and working from home seems like the perfect way to supplement a spouse’s income or provide a full time income if necessary while continuing to homeschool.
Once you have decided what type of work at home job is perfect for you, you need to apply and then land the job. In the virtual world, this is easier said than done. Often times you are competing against many other moms who want the job same as you. In order to land a work at home job, you must stand out. How can you nab the best work at home jobs as a homeschool mom?
Be Professional
The number one tip for a homeschool mom wanting to land a work at home job is to be professional. Your email tone will need to be professional not relaxed. This means leaving out the texting abbreviations (LOL) and the emoticons from your messages.
Also, be sure to end emails with a closing and a signature line that includes your full name, a photo, a link to your website, Facebook page, or other social media handles. Including a signature can make every email look professional and shows that you take yourself seriously.
Make sure your social media profiles include a recent and businesslike photo of you — no cropped-out kids or messy backgrounds. Also, be sure that you don’t share too much of yourself online. Everything you put online is available for the world to see and believe me when I say potential employers are Googling you!
Be Available
The next tip for a homeschool mom wanting to land a work at home job is to be available. This does not mean that you need to be attached to your email every second of the day. It does mean, however, that you respond to emails and requests in an appropriate amount of time —typically within 24-48 hours.
If a potential client is looking to hire you, he doesn’t want you to respond to his request a week after he asked for a phone interview. If you are unable to respond to email for a potential client, how will you respond once you are hired? Keep this in mind and do your best to be available.
Be Reliable
Have you completed tasks for other clients in the past? Were you reliable? Do you have references that will attest to the fact that you turn in assignments on time? As a work at home mom, you are responsible for completing tasks independently. Potential clients want someone they can rely on to complete a task correctly and on time.
Having a curriculum that minimizes your prep time means you can devote more time to meeting work deadlines. So, look at ways you can streamline your day-to-day schedule so that you maintain an impeccable reputation.
Always under promise so you can overdeliver. And never use your role as a homeschool mom as an excuse for being unreliable. Your client needs his work done regardless of if your children were sick or you had a plumbing issue.
If you are considering becoming a work at home, homeschooling mom consider these three things. If you present yourself as a professional, are available for employment requests, and can show that you are reliable you will have a better chance of standing out and landing that job!
As a former teacher turned unschooling mom, one of the many things I love about BookShark is the variety of resources which spark interest in topics that might otherwise seem a bit dense for young children.
For example, I recently had the idea to introduce my six-year-old to the wonderful world of ancient Greek and Roman history. I was struggling to come up with a way to make it fun for her and something she’d want to explore for more than just one day. I wasn’t positive I could pull this off, but I wanted her to explore this important and downright cool period in ancient history. So I decided to go for it. My starting point was to look at my BookShark resources and then embellish them with our unique unschooling flair.
The first thing I did was pull out the catapult kit from the Hands-On History kit by BookShark. While the catapult is grouped with the Medieval period in the curriculum, I decided to put it with the Greeks, who invented it. Again this is the beauty of homeschooling and having a number of amazing resources on hand: we can make each learning day whatever we want.
I also knew I wanted to use the novel, Detectives in Togas from BookShark Level B, but I still wanted several fun projects to bring all of it to life for my daughter, who tends to learn more toward creative projects.
What did the ancient Greeks and Roman eat? Lay out a lunch of olives, grapes, cheese, apples or pomegranates, smoked salmon, lentil soup, and fresh baked bread.
What did the ancient Greeks and/or Roman wear? Style a toga and an olive branch headband or a shield and Roman soldier helmet.
What did the Greeks believe in their mythology? We studied the story of Orion and used the telescope to find the constellation in the night sky. Then using a large cardboard box, we fashioned a night sky using holiday lights that we poked through holes. My daughter crawled inside to look up at her own starry night.
How did Greeks fight battles? Build the wooden model from the Hands-On History kit, then measure and compare the distance that various items flew when launched from the working catapult.
How did children write in school? Make a wax tablet using a baking sheet, wax paper, melted wax, and a small dowel or small stick.
How did Romans notate numbers? Finger paint Roman Numerals
Who were important characters from Greek and Roman mythology? Let your child research Greek or Roman gods and goddesses. Then create a costume to represent the mythological deity they choose to dress up as.
Access to Great Literature Spurs Interest
Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield from Level B
Time Traveler covering the Roman World from Level B
I love having the books and resources available at all times for my daughter to explore, even when we’re not using them formally for homeschool lessons. When I first started homeschooling, I closed up our school books in the cabinet when we were finished and pulled them out only for school time. This habit really diminished her interest. By keeping the resources available to her, my daughter voluntarily pulled materials out in the evenings to show her dad, or she looked through books while I made dinner.
Letting her have the freedom to explore on her own really increased her interest.
What made this ancient Greece and Rome study work so well for us was taking it slow, having fun, and following her lead. I alternated between reading time and hands-on activities to keep the energy flowing and, most importantly, I offered these activities simply as possibilities and encouraged my daughter to pick the ones that sounded the most interesting to her.
This learning adventure has been amazing fun for my daughter, who loved catapulting various items across the room. She also enjoyed using the telescope to find Orion in the sky, reading about Caius, and dressing up as Gaia for a day. It is such a treat to me to have a secular homeschool curriculum that provides resources for teaching ancient Greek and Roman history to young children.
About the Author
Resa Brandenburg is a former teacher who is now passionate about unschooling her daughter. She lives with her husband in an old farmhouse by the river in Kentucky. Her favorite thing to do is spend the afternoon with her family, including her grown sons and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and quilting.
Ask any veteran homeschool mom whose kids have already graduated from high school, and she will reassure you:
She had the same fears you have now.
She realizes now how pointless most of those fears were.
What a difference 10-15 years of hindsight makes! But you don’t have to wait that long. Let’s look right now at ten of the biggest and most common homeschool fears so you can face—and more importantly, conquer—them.
1. What if I fail to prepare my child for the real world?
Whether a family homeschools or not, parents may still fail to prepare their children for adult life. (The good news is that young adults can learn those adulting skills when they are required!)
Choosing to homeschool doesn’t make parenting any easier. However, having unhurried time at home to model good habits, to correct thinking, and to guide each child individually gives a homeschool family an enormous advantage in this arena.
The valuable, real-life experiences homeschoolers have can prepare them well for adult life if we maximize every opportunity:
community volunteer service projects
public speaking
competitive music
collaborating in co-op projects
ballroom dancing
2. What if I don’t have what it takes to inspire my children every day?
It’s unrealistic to think you’ll keep the same enthusiasm for homeschooling every day. What you can do is plan for those days when you can’t muster the inner drive to motivate your kids. Use plan B days and couch days when the learning is more low-key or stealthy.
Here’s more good news. It’s not solely your responsibility to inspire your kids. When you build upon your child’s natural curiosity with great living books and by following rabbit trails of interest, your child’s own motivation to learn will blossom. Then the two of you can work together to keep the enthusiasm high.
Like us, kids want choices; they want autonomy to move through the day, choosing the times when they prefer to learn, exercise, and relax. When our tweens and teens learn to be independent managers of their time and their education, they continue to learn even when we aren’t feeling so perky.
3. What if I get angry?
Homeschooling is a humbling process. Patience is a skill learned while on the job. You probably are going to blow your top as a homeschool parent. Make allowances for bad days and recognize that some days you will lose it—momentarily. You’re building rigorous academic habits and life skills for the long run; mistakes are part of the process.
4. What if I get ill?
Homeschool parents face the same sicknesses and accidents other families do:
bedrest for pregnancy
caring for a relative who is in the hospital or recuperating at home
When these situations happen, assess how best to homeschool based on the circumstances as they are (not what we wish they were). Focus on what you can accomplish with the limitations of an illness instead of what you can’t.
You may need to cut back academics to only the basics of math and language arts. School may take place in waiting rooms or at the hospital. If you are using a boxed curriculum, you will be able to rely on the laid-out lesson plans that require no intensive planning on your part. And at other stressful times, you need to simply take a break from school altogether until life becomes more normal.
Teaching your children about the fragility of life and the priority of family are important lessons, too.
5. What if my child doesn’t measure up?
Becoming a seasoned homeschool teacher means you know that learning is an ebb and flow. Your child will leap ahead at times and lag behind at others. The great thing about homeschooling is that we don’t have to evaluate our kids according to arbitrary scales determined by school boards. As long as our children are moving forward, it doesn’t matter that they don’t know the value of coins when other school kids learn it or don’t yet know how to write in cursive even though other kids their age do.
Trust that the learning is happening—different facts and skills—possibly on a different timetable, but happening nevertheless.
6. I’m too unorganized to do this well.
While organizing is an essential component of homeschooling, that doesn’t mean a homeschool mom has to mimic a public school setting with a fancy schoolroom and elaborate record keeping. As long as you can research curriculum, make a choice, consistently teach your children, and submit any paperwork your state requires, you can do this!
Then accept the fact that you will not cover everything. And neither do public schools. How did we ever come to adopt an impossible standard of covering everything? (And who defines everything, anyway?)
Instead of being scared that you won’t teach them everything, overcome fear by giving your children the tools and skills to learn anything. Research skills, reading for meaning, and technical ability set your children up for success in this modern age.
8. Will my kids be socialized?
Creating opportunities for socialization is a responsibility of a homeschool parent. Resolve to meet the needs of your children in this area, whatever it takes. It may mean joining or starting a co-op. It will certainly mean driving across town or hosting playdates.
But don’t go to the extreme of over scheduling your children out of fear of being weird, unsocialized homeschoolers. Talk to your kids about their needs for socialization. Introverts will want less time than extroverts. Watch their behavior, and work on any social skills that you see are deficient. But rest assured that there are plenty of awkward kids in every educational sphere. Homeschooling doesn’t necessitate that your kids will become reclusive freaks.
9. I’m afraid my worst school subjects will become my kids’ worst subjects.
Yes, your worst subjects could be your kids’ weaknesses, but the inverse is equally as likely. Your strengths could become your kids’ strong suits.
It is possible not to negatively influence your child about subjects you don’t like. For example, your children can become math lovers as long as you don’t pass your math anxiety to them.
Using a boxed curriculum, hiring a tutor, using a DVD supplement, joining a homeschool co-op, or trading out teaching time with another homeschool mom are just a few options to compensate for your own personal academic soft spots.
10. I’m not cut out to be with my kids all day long.
Sometimes, being with the kids all day is no picnic. Homeschooling is a selfless act not for the faint of heart. But that does not mean we have to offer up our sanity and health on the altar of homeschooling. It’s okay to take breaks. In fact, you need to have time away from your kids—guilt free.
How do you refresh? Do you like to head out alone and browse the yarn shop or meet a friend for dinner out? Or do you prefer for dad to take the kids out so you can stay home alone in peace and quiet? Whatever it is, make it a priority.
Being successful in homeschooling means coming face to face with your biggest fears. Second-guessing is normal, but don’t allow fear to dominate your thinking. When feeling weak, I remember what Nelson Mandela said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
I’ve known my son is an introvert for a long time. Of all my children, he is the only one who intentionally goes into his room and plays for hours by himself. He gets easily overwhelmed by multiple people talking at the same time. He also gets extremely frustrated and exhausted when he’s interrupted.
He’s your classic introvert: quiet, reserved, and soft-spoken. He’s quite the opposite of his outspoken older siblings.
I didn’t set out to homeschool specifically because of personality. However, I’m convinced that homeschooling offers so many benefits to introverted children that traditional schools can’t provide.
1. Extra Processing Time
Introverts need time to process information and experiences far more time than extroverts. They gather information constantly and can ponder it for days.
It’s not uncommon for teachers to move on from a subject, thinking it’s done. Then to their surprise, an introverted child will share some deep thought or conclusion about it days later. They’re just now ready to talk and engage more with that subject.
And all that time in between?
They were thinking, processing, and making connections. All this happened in the quietness of their own minds.
Extroverts may easily jump from subject to subject. Introverts need more time to dwell on a particular subject. They also crave the flexibility to return to topics they’ve pondered for a few days. Homeschooling allows introverted children to take as much time as they need.
2. Reduced Risk
Not every extrovert is a risk-taker. Yet, research shows that the majority are far more apt to take risks than their introverted counterparts.
Think about how much risk it takes to ask a question in a classroom full of peers. Just the thought keeps many introverted children’s hands right by their sides.
The ones that risk and fail? They are even less likely to risk in the future.
Asking and answering questions is rewarded in a traditional classroom. Even if a student does well in other areas, he might be penalized for lack of class participation.
In addition, introverts think deeply about problems. They might not be ready to answer questions as rapidly as teachers ask them. Homeschooling provides a safe place to both ask and answer questions. They don’t have to fear failure or ridicule. It gives them time to think before answering.
Therefore, introverted children can grow in confidence in this secure place. They’ll need it to engage and succeed in a culture that favors extroverted character traits.
3. More Alone Time
While it’s a myth that all introverts steer clear of people, most do need time alone to recharge. That quiet time is not just a nice thought or bonus.
They need it.
Introverted children who attend school all day can become overloaded by the excess stimulation. Because of this, they come home withdrawn at best, and a hot mess of pent-up emotion at worst. Homeschooling provides time for introverts to be alone and get the quiet time they desperately need. As a result, they can give their best emotional energy to the people closest to them their family.
4. Fewer Interruptions
As an introvert myself, having four children made me realize that interruptions drive me crazy. Not only that, they literally sap the energy out of me. When I’m reading aloud during our homeschool day, the more I am interrupted, the less energy I have to finish a chapter. When I’m interrupted in the middle of a task, I can completely forget what I was doing.
I’m starting to see more of this in my son. He struggles with speech, so when his siblings interrupt him repeatedly, he forgets what he was going to say. This adds to his frustration.
Also, interrupted subjects in school settings frustrate introverts. When the clock says time’s up, the teacher moves on to the next subject. So, telling an introverted child to save a math sheet for homework or to finish the book later can be extremely frustrating.
Depending on your family dynamics, homeschooling can be an ideal way to avoid interruptions. You can spend as long as you need on a particular subject.
5. A Chance to Develop Leadership Skills
Leaders who demonstrate extroverted qualities flourish in western cultures. Assertiveness, quick thinking, teamwork, charisma, confidence, and multitasking are all traits of the extroverted leader.
It’s easy to overlook introverted leaders in a school setting. The culture values and praises extroverted leadership traits. Because of this, introverts can start to believe that they aren’t really leaders at all. But introverts make good leaders, too. Schools just struggle to recognize and develop them.
Introverted leaders tend to have better focus, better listening skills, and more creativity. They are also cautious. They like to think carefully about a problem. Then they act. This can be essential for certain leadership positions.
Homeschool parents have the opportunity to help their introverted children become strong leaders in three simple ways:
Provide a safe space to be themselves
Praise introverted leadership qualities
Provide opportunities to practice leadership
The Homeschool Advantage
While introverts can succeed in a traditional school setting, homeschooling gives them a distinct advantage that they may not get anywhere else. If you need more information about raising introverts, I highly recommend these two titles:
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Nurture by Nature: Understanding Your Child’s Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger
And consider homeschooling. If your introverted children are not flourishing in traditional school, homeschooling might be the best gift you can give them.
About the Author
June loves deep discussions about homeschooling, parenting, and minimalism. When she’s not homeschooling, decluttering, or blogging at This Simple Balance, she loves to enjoy perfect silence while sipping a hot cup of coffee and thinking uninterrupted thoughts—which, of course, with four kids ages eight and under doesn’t happen very often!
I’m not a growth mindset mom, at least not by default.
I’ve read all about the importance of developing one, and I’ve written about its benefits. But as many a homeschool parent can attest, being aware of a practice and its real life application isn’t the same thing as actually doingit.
My kids know to put their dirty clothes in the hamper. Want to guess how many pajamas I find shoved behind the bathroom door?
The situation’s pretty similar when it comes to me and a growth mindset. I know what it means to have one, and I know when I need to use such an approach. But the minute a perceived failure or challenge shows up at my doorstep, my first instinct is to give up with a cry of “I just can’tdo this! I’m not good at it. I never have been.” The fatalistic, fixed mindset tends to be my default instead of applying what I know about growth mindset.
Sadly, my fixed mindset affects my children. As we all know, parental attitudes toward failure have a major impact on the behaviors of our children.
Father-daughter psychologists Robert and Lisa Firestone have coined this the Self-System: a phenomenon in which a parent’s self-concept serves as a tool to shape the child’s. When parents shut down or give up in the face of difficulty, a child observes and internalizes the behavior as an appropriate response to struggle. Watching a parent work through a challenge, on the other hand, internalizes a message of hope: if mom and dad persevere through a problem, the child discovers that she can, too.
It’s not that parents who present a fixed mindset are lazy or lack a desire to succeed. It’s more that our patterns of behavior become habit: once we walk down the path of least resistance, it’s easiest to keep walking along that well-worn rut.
Fortunately, though, our habits are flexible, and there are steps we can take to foster growth in ourselves. Once we exhibit these characteristics to our children, they’ll begin to develop the behaviors as well. They’ll view challenge as an opportunity, not as failure or as a reason to turn tail and run.
Say This, Not That: 10 Perfect Phrases to Develop a Growth Mindset
Habits take time to develop, and with mindset, it’s a matter of positive self-talk. Changing the way we speak to ourselves and our children will go a long way toward reducing the desire to surrender.
To build a growth mindset within yourself learn to replace familiar mental phrases with new ones:
Instead of “I’m not doing this right,” say, “I need to revisit my options.”
Instead of “This isn’t something I’m good at,” say, “I’m still working on this skill.”
Instead of “My house is always a disaster,” say, “Good things happen in my home. I’ll teach the kids to help out.”
Instead of “There’s no way I can do it all,” say, “I know when to ask for help.”
Instead of “I’m not qualified to teach this,” say, “This is a great time for me to learn alongside the kids.”
To build a growth mindset within your kids, learn these new ways of communicating:
Instead of “Math [reading, writing, etc.] comes really easily for you,” say, “Let’s find a challenging problem [book, topic, etc.] to tackle.
Instead of “You’re a strong writer (reader, artist, etc.),” say, “Let’s try writing in a different genre (reading a different author; creating in a different medium) to stretch your learning muscles.”
Instead of “This is so good!” say, “I love the colors (ideas, examples) you’ve used here. How will you approach it next time?”
Instead of “Maybe this activity just isn’t your thing,” say, “How can we conquer this next time?”
Instead of “You worked hard. Aren’t you glad it’s over?” say, “That took a lot of effort. What path will you follow next time?”
While positive phrases are immensely helpful, they’re definitely not a golden ticket. Changing the way we think about challenge takes concrete reminders of the triumphs of our past. Try keeping evidence of family accomplishments posted in a conspicuous, well-trafficked place so you can celebrate these small victories every day. You’ll develop a growth mindset together as a family, and find new ways to turn daily challenge to success.
About the Author
Ginny Kochis is a former high school English teacher and adjunct professor of English turned homeschooling mom and business owner. She writes about faith, motherhood, homeschooling and family literacy at Not So Formulaic.
If you homeschool for any length of time, you’ll inevitably struggle with the idea that a fresh curriculum might be better for you and your child even if you are having no problems with your current curriculum! That maxim about the grass appearinggreener on the other side of the fence can apply to homeschool too.
Why We Chose BookShark Homeschool Curriculum
My oldest loveshistory and reading, and we chose BookShark for that exact reason. While using BookShark, my son received a strong historical overview of the time period that we were studying, but he also got plenty of excellent historical fiction related to the events he was studying in history.
Each day, he spent time in his room reading on his own. Later in the afternoon, after my youngest two were done schooling, my son and I read our current read aloud together. Sometimes even the younger kids listened in, asking questions and commenting on the book. BookShark fit our family perfectly, and we all enjoyed it.
The Temptation to Switch Curriculum
However, our family doesn’t live in a homeschooling bubble. Catalogs from various publishers come in the mail, and I often read other homeschool moms raving online about different science or history programs. Unlike years ago, today there are a myriad of curriculum options for a homeschooler.
Last summer, when I was reading a book about homeschooling high schoolers, I saw mention of a curriculum I’d never heard of before. Like any good homeschooling parent, I hopped on the computer to research this company.
It sounded like such a great program! There was a lot of history, perhaps even more than BookShark programs because this alternative included more non-fiction along with their list of historical fiction. I contemplated buying this curriculum for a while before I finally took the plunge.
Within two weeks of using this alternative homeschool program, my son and I both knew I had made a huge mistake!
Why We’re Back to BookShark
True, the other curriculum did win high points with us for the interesting non-fiction selections that gave my son an even deeper knowledge of history. But honestly, that was the only advantage this curriculum had over BookShark.
We missed so many features of BookShark!
As a teacher, I missed BookShark’s easy all-in-one, open-and-go format. With the other curriculum, I had to spend ninety minutes to three hours every weekend, choosing my son’s assignments and laying out a schedule for him for the week. I didn’t have time for that! With BookShark’s Instructor’s Guides, I could simply glance at what was coming up for the next week. Prep took almost no time.
Both my son and I also missed the questions BookShark includes at the end of each reading. The other curriculum didn’t have that and instead relied on students doing projects or lapbooks to show their comprehension — neither of which my son enjoyed. While BookShark has projects and lap books, they are optional add-ons and not essential to the program.
We missed the historical fiction in BookShark. Because the other curriculum was so heavy on non-fiction, there were fewer novels to read. While my son loves history, he also loves reading fiction, and he really missed the quality fiction books he was reading with BookShark.
After only two weeks, we set aside the other curriculum and are happily back to BookShark. Now, though I may still get catalogs and read others’ comments online, I can rest assured that BookShark is the best curriculum for us.
About the Author
Melissa is a homeschool mom to three kids. BookShark is her primary curriculum, and she and her kids love it! When she’s not homeschooling, she’s either shuttling kids from one activity to another or working from home as a freelance writer. You can read more about Melissa’s homeschool journey at her blog Moms Plans.
We all can recall that feeling from our days in public school when the teacher distributed a test full of letters to be circled and blanks to be filled in. Our sharp pencils would start to tap on our desks as we tried to recall something—anything—about what we had crammed the night before, but it’s gone. We draw nothing but blanks.
We carefully read and reread the questions, maybe ruling out a C here or a D there and making our best guess between A and B. When the test is mostly filled in, we hand it in, hope for a passing grade, and it’s on to the next chapter in the textbook to repeat the cycle again next week.
These icky memories of tests are why I’ve never been a traditional test-giver as a homeschool mom.
I know that my soon-to-be high schooler will need to have testing skills eventually, and we will work on that as it comes, but for younger kids, especially kids who stress out easily, paper tests can be the straw that breaks a love of learning for your child.
As parents though, we want to make sure the things we’ve spent hours teaching our children has stuck with them. For that reason, I want to test my kids but not with tests in the conventional sense. Here are non-test ways I use to gauge a child’s learning without completely stressing them out.
Presentation
At the end of a unit or section, have your child prepare a presentation to give to the family. Invite the grandparents over to make it more official. Give them a short list of things from their Science or History lessons that you’d like them to prepare, for example, recite a part of a speech or create and explain a model of a battle. Set a date for the presentation and have them work a little bit on it daily until it’s ready.
Oral or Written Report
Writing a report, whether it’s several pages or just a drawing that your child talks about is a great way to see all your child has learned. There are lots of ways to do a report.
Have them type a traditional research paper based on what you’ve studied together.
Cover an empty cereal box in construction paper, then print pictures, write out information, and draw maps and cover all the sides of the box with information.
Skit
Have your children choose roles to play based on things you studied and write out their own skit. Have a lot of it be ad lib, because then you’ll know it’s not just memorized to get through the skit. Have them create costumes and a simple setting. When my kids acted out a scene about Alexander the Great and his parents, I saw exactly what they learned about him in a playful, no-stress way.
News Show
Put on one of dad’s ties, set up a desk, give your child a coffee cup, and have them play newscaster for an evening news show. In advance, have your child write out what he’ll talk about on the news. Makes sure he adds in lots of facts and details. It could be all about a new science discovery or ways to do long and short division or a battle in a war in history —anything you’ve studied in homeschool. Just pretend he’s saying it on the news!
Dinner Party
I love tying up a unit study with a great dinner party. Plan a dinner based on a time in history or a fun science theme you’ve been learning about. Gather supplies from around the house and let your child take the reigns. Cook food together, let him decorate, and allow him to have talking points throughout the dinner about things he’s learned. Have him share these facts with the guests at dinner. He’ll love showing off what he knows.
There’s more than one way to make sure your child is retaining what you’ve taught. Pay attention to how your child learns and what makes them tick and what makes them shut down and use those clues to figure out creative ways to test them. You’re going to learn so much together!
