Want to know how to homeschool with a baby? It can be a unique challenge to have a baby while you are homeschooling. In fact, often homeschool moms have a baby and a toddler or preschool child which can really add to the challenge!

Let’s just admit it…as much as we all adore babies, they can be very distracting! And how about that couple hours sleep mom is surviving on?! Here are some tips on how to homeschool with a baby.

Video: How To Homeschool With A Baby

We are in the thick of it now with our baby Hollyn who is eight months old now and into everything! We have nine children and have been homeschooling from the beginning when our first was in Kindergarten, so homeschooling with a baby is familiar territory. It seems that since we started homeschooling 10+ years ago, there has always been a baby in tow.

Now, don’t make the mistake of thinking that there is some kind of trick or some mom out there has the answer to how to make it easier to homeschool with a baby. No, there is nothing easy about homeschooling with a baby or toddler around. Babies are needy. If they aren’t satisfied, they can be loud. Once they are crawling, all hope for a nice neat home is out the window!

BUT, babies are so sweet and really there is nothing more wonderful to interrupt and brighten our homeschool mornings than the gummy smiles of an adorable baby.

Spend the first waking moments in quality time with your baby.

When your baby first wakes up after nap time, this is the best time to engage with her. She is fresh, alert, aware, and most importantly, wants all of mommy’s attention! Step away from school and maximize on this important moment. While you nurse her, look into her eyes and talk or sing. As you change her diaper, play and laugh. Sing nursery rhymes like Pat-a-cake or This Little Piggy or whatever little baby games you like to play.

If you spend the first waking moments of her day in quality, focused time, it will meet her need for physical touch and eye contact with you AND it will also be the reassurance you need that she is getting plenty of attention.

Lower your expectations.

How many times do you hear yourself say, “I just can’t get anything done?!” Of course we all enjoy having things in order and checking things off our “to do” lists for the day, but that’s just a little more challenging with a baby in the house.

Babies are complicated. They are unpredictable. Just when it seems like they are falling into a schedule, they start teething or go into sleep regression. When they start crawling or pulling up, they like to dump and scatter. All of this can be distracting and just plain messy!

Don’t try too hard to keep up with your normal standards for the house and school work. You might find yourself stressing needlessly. If you lower your expectations, it can help you keep a positive attitude.

Nurse/feed the baby while your child is reading to you.

Nursing takes up so much time. It can be hard to just sit when there is so much to be done! Use this time to sit beside your child and listen to them read or watch them do their work.

As your baby gets older and is too distracted to nurse around the others, have your school age child do independent work while you slip away with baby and remind them that they should be prepared to show you their work when you are finished.

Wear your baby.

This such a time-saver when homeschooling. Sometimes a baby will only be consoled by being held. If you need to get a meal prepared or housework or laundry done, wearing your baby will be fun for them as they get to follow you and watch you work and it will help you to get a few things done at the same time!

Limit activities.

This can be a hard decision especially when you have older kids who are involved in many things, but paring down your schedule to the bare minimum may save your sanity!

We have encouraged our older kids to pick the one thing that matters to them most and we have invested in that. A baby is a good excuse to say no to all the extras!

Allow older kids to help.

If you have older kids, allow them to help you. My kids LOVE helping with the baby because it usually means a break in school work for them! As soon as Hollyn wakes up from her nap, she is usually surrounded by 3 or 4 siblings who want “their turn” to hold her. I have to remind them that I want some time with her first!

When you need the extra few minutes, have an older child hold or play with the baby on the floor for a few minutes.

Another thing that is super helpful is to have a big kid read to a little. This is great for keeping toddlers entertained and for challenging the older kid’s read aloud skills at the same time!

Expect interruptions.

Diaper blowouts, toddler tantrums, someone unexpectedly ringing the doorbell…really, a hundred different things could potentially interrupt your day! Remember that you are homeschooling in a home, not a school. Home is not a sterile environment. Real life is happening here! And real life means interruptions.

One memory that stands out to me from when our kids were younger is how our neighbor (with no kids) would always choose the worst time to mow his lawn. Often all morning long, I would juggle between school and babies/toddlers. I was eagerly anticipating our quiet afternoon.

Then finally, lunch would be over and it was nap time! The baby would go down, all would finally be quiet. I could relax on the sofa with my big kids and read with them. Without fail, it seemed, our neighbor always started his mower just as I opened the book. I tried not to, but I would get so mad over this! Even closing the windows would not drown out the noise!

Interruptions like these are inevitable when you are learning at home. You will be better able to handle the interruptions if you accept them. Maximize on the moments when you can progress and accept the interruptions.

Be ok with small chunks of progress everyday.

You may have to temporarily toss out your idealistic plans for the year. It’s worth it if it keeps you from stressing out every day over what you are not checking off your list. Aim for the kids do math, reading, and writing every day and try to read to them as often as you get the chance. Keep your goals small. Kids do better with short lessons anyway.

I have found that my kids learn more when we do less if my attitude is positive and relaxed rather than when I am frazzled trying to cram everything in by the end of the day.

Do the important things during nap time.

What are you unable to do because the baby is awake? Do those things when the baby is napping. Even if your baby hasn’t fit into a nap schedule yet, whenever he or she goes down for a nap, use this time to work one-on-one with whoever needs it most.

Live in the moment with all of your kids.

Guard yourself from being distracted by texts, email, social media. Don’t let your mind wander to other things when your children are right here. Look into their eyes. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Correct them when they need it. This shows that you are attentive. You are their security and they want you to be engaged.

Have the right perspective. . Don’t be short-sighted.

You may feel like your other kids are sometimes ignored a little when you are busy breastfeeding, or buried in the house and school work, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. If you have more than one child you know that that first year with a baby is a flash and then it’s gone!

There are times in life where you focus more on one thing or another. Now is the time to focus on baby for a little while. This is a time for a little less school work than normal. This time will pass and other times will come.

I have found in our years of homeschooling that we have had both- bare minimum stretches and intensely productive stretches-and that in the end, they even out.

Be a mom who loves to learn. And who loves to learn with her kids! This will be the best thing you can ever teach them.

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More and more parents are seeing the BENEFITS OF HOMESCHOOLING as the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB. What is it about homeschooling that is SO good for kids? Here are 10 MORE reasons WHY HOMESCHOOLING IS GOOD FOR KIDS.

Time to Read.

I don’t think it can be overstated that 1.) READING ALOUD to kids and 2.) giving them lots of time to read- catapults kids towards a voracious appetite for learning.

Do you want your kids to love learning? Read to them.

Would you like them to grow into a lifestyle of learning on their own? Let. them. read.

Give them access to a plethora of quality books, whether through a home library or trips to the local library, and then provide plenty of time for them to read.

The flexibility in homeschooling makes it possible to spend large quantities of time reading.

Healthy balance of time with friends and time at home.

Rather than being locked in to a certain group of kids for certain time periods daily, homeschoolers own their schedules. Parents can influence their kids’ social lives as they observe their child’s needs.

If a parent senses that their child needs more time with friends, he or she can plan more play dates or sign up for more co-ops, classes, or events. On the other hand, if its a busy life season- maybe a move or unexpected health crisis or even the holidays, the parent can block out the schedule and have more quiet days at home.

More opportunities to help people and be involved in the community.

Do you know what it means to an elderly neighbor to have trustworthy kids nearby who offer to get your mail or help during the day if needed?

Can you imagine what it does for them just to SEE kids during the day- outside playing or walking or working?! Seeing kids out in the middle of the day is a beautiful thing!!

Because their schedule is more flexible, homeschoolers also have more chances to volunteer in community activities. These kinds of opportunities teach them sympathy and give them the satisfaction of contributing to a noble cause.

Kids can pursue friendships by choice.

We all know there are just some people you click with better than others. Homeschooled kids can be choosy about which friendships they want to invest in most. They are not lumped into one group or even one age level.

Also, parents have more freedom to discourage friendships that are unhealthy and encourage bonds that are mutually strengthening.

No bullying

No explanation needed!

Current Events

Because our kids are home, we can capitalize on current events locally and around the world.

We usually do current events in the morning with our breakfast.

Resources like World Magazine, World Watch, and The Worldview in 5 Minutes have all helped to keep us abreast of what is happening around the world.

Free Time

What happens when the school day is shortened by several hours (as it is when you are homeschooled) and kids have extra free time? They learn skills.

Homeschooled kids are free to pursue their interests and hone their skills.

They might paint or play imaginative games with siblings. Maybe they will explore outside or experiment in the kitchen with a recipe they found on Pinterest.

During their free time after lunch, my kids have…practiced soccer skills, learned to knit, sold items on ebay, written and performed skits or plays. They have searched and learned on YouTube how to do magic tricks, how to play piano songs from their favorite movies, how to repair an iphone.

This is when some of the best learning happens!

Think about it. What kinds of things do you remember most? You remember the things you were interested in and took time to search and learn on your own.

Meaningful Conversations

Here’s another great reason why homeschooling is good for kids. Think about it. When do you have the most meaningful conversations with your kids? They are usually not scheduled.

They happen late at night or in moments when you least expect it. When parents spend large quantities of time with kids, the chances for meaningful conversations to happen increase.

Length of lessons developmentally appropriate and individualized

Many times lessons have been too easy or too difficult for our kids and I have the freedom to adjust as needed.

If a lesson is too easy, I can assign more or give an extension activity. If, on the other hand, a child has spent a good deal of time on math, has only finished two problems, and is becoming frustrated, I have the freedom to sit down, work with him on one or two more problems and call it a day.

There are times for plugging away at things, but an exasperated child will not make much progress. It’s better to walk away and try again tomorrow.

Investment in relationships that are life-long.

By far, I believe one of the best benefits of homeschooling is the childhood spent investing in relationships that you will have for the rest. of. your. life.

Your family.

It is not easy to develop close relationships with siblings when you spend the majority of your waking hours separated and with people you will only know in grade school.

It’s important to have friends. Being involved in a co-op and having your kids regularly see others in their inner circle helps them develop important social skills. BUT spending a lot of time with family is a long term investment that pays!

There are good reasons why the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB. Learning at home can be so good for kids.

I’d love to hear why you think homeschooling can be SO GOOD for kids!

The post 10 MORE Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

We can see that the NUMBER OF HOMESCHOOLERS IS CONTINUING TO CLIMB, but what is it about homeschooling that is SO good for kids? Here are 10 reasons why homeschooling is good for kids.

In a recent article from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association the author listed two crucial attitudes that are necessary in order for new homeschoolers to make it. 

They need to believe 

1. “We really can pull this off!” and (CAN I HOMESCHOOL MY CHILD?)

2. “Homeschooling is good for our children.”

Here’s why I believe homeschooling is good for kids.

Shorter School Day

The chart below represents what I think is a useful measuring tool based on the needs of kids according to age. I’ve never timed exactly how long our kids do school, but I think this is roughly how it plays out for us.

You can easily tell if you are doing too much. The child will be frustrated, constantly distracted, and discouraged. On the other hand, if your child has finished work and is walking around with nothing to do, bothering siblings, getting into trouble, he or she may need more work.

Aside from this chart, how do you know if they are really doing enough? When kids have finished their work, they will naturally move on to their interests. For young kids, this is usually play. For older kids, it might be hobbies, exercise, or time with friends.

Interpersonal Skills

Homeschoolers learn many interpersonal skills every day from people who have much more life experience than they have (their parents) -not their peers.

Here are a few of them. Basic etiquette. Accepting compliments and constructive criticism. Listening well. Communicating effectively. Responding to emotions. Respecting others. Expressing an appropriate sense of humor. Self-discipline. Focusing on a task. These type of skills are often caught rather than taught.

Life skills

In a home environment, the opportunity for life skills are everywhere. Even for homeschool parents who are not intentional about teaching life skills, homeschooled kids are just there when all these things are happening: cooking, car maintenance, running laundry, daily meal clean-up, paying bills, making phone calls, making a bed, home repairs, using kitchen appliances, managing time, and so much more.

Frequent Breaks

Don’t underestimate the weight of this one. Do you fully realize how really GOOD this is for kids?! Even adults cannot sit and focus on something for long periods of time. To be able to complete a challenging lesson and then run around in the sunshine or shoot a bow and arrow or kick the soccer ball, it’s what kids need! After short, frequent breaks, they are able to come back, concentrate and may be even more curious about what is in front of them.

Close Connection to Nature

What varieties of trees and flowers are in your yard, your neighborhood? Before our recent move to a new property, we lived in a small suburban neighborhood for 12 years. We went for a walk almost every day. We learned all the diverse kinds of trees and flowers in our neighborhood simply by seeing them every day, through every season, for many years.

Every spring, we watched a Mulberry tree on the corner of Sunset Road for signs of ripe mulberries to collect. In autumn, we always looked for the bright yellow leaves of the Ginko tree down the street on Hunter Drive. Several families of cardinals in the hemlocks across the street entertained us in the quiet winter months. When we saw the streets littered with natural debris in spring, we knew the oaks were all flowering. We would never have noticed any of these beautiful displays right in our own backyard except that we observed them every day for several years.

Habits

We all know the value of being able to maintain good habits. The older our kids get and the longer these habits have taken to form in myself and in them reminds me just how crucial it is for us to continue practicing them. Making a bed, personal hygiene, keeping a clean work space, morning devotions, completing a chore thoroughly, writing letters, journaling.

Which habits do you aspire for your kids to learn? Habits give a great advantage in life!

Less of the wrong kind of peer pressure.

Are homeschoolers sheltered? By its very nature, homeschooling is somewhat sheltering. Maybe you have known a family that over shelters their kids in a way that is unhealthy and does little to prepare their kids to function in the real world.

Here’s a question. Can there also be a kind of sheltering that is healthy? A kind of protection that encourages them to function appropriately in all surroundings while cushioning them from the barrage of negativity so common in the school system? I’d believe there is.

Because they face negative peer pressure less frequently or at a later age than the norm for kids in school, many of them display a positive self-assurance that stands out from the crowd. I’ve noticed from many homeschoolers that they are unaware in group situations that they are supposed to be “too cool” to answer questions or speak up. They are confident with who they are because they are used to being in an environment, whether at home or in the community, where everyone is treated with respect.

Heroes

Who are your kids’ heroes? Because of the flexibility in choosing educational resources, parents can challenge their kids to dream by reading to them or assigning them books to read about great people.

Here are some of the heroes that have inspired our kids: David Livingstone, Ben Carson, Leonardo da Vinci, Anne Sullivan, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Cranmer, Frederick Douglass, William Tyndale, Isaac Newton, Abigail Adams, George Mueller… just to name a few! Give them heroes that inspire them!

Child comparing progress against themselves, not other kids in their grade.

When kids are measured by their own progress instead of “what all the other fourth graders should be doing”, they challenge themselves. They gain confidence instead of losing it.

Transfer of Family Values

Each family has their own flavor. Individual parents have certain values that they want to pass down to their kids. In our family, we have taught our kids to do things that we enjoy and value.

Here are some things my husband and I love and hope to pass down to our kids. We both love playing music and singing. We love gardening, caring for animals on our farmette, growing and preserving our own food.

My husband and I are also very different, in personality and hobbies. He enjoys making things with wood, using tools for any kind of mechanical work, and investing in his growing eBay business. I enjoy reading, knitting, and writing.

What unique gifts and interests do you hope to pass on to your kids?

This list is by no means exhausted! But I hope it is enough to whet your appetite. Here are 10 MORE REASONS WHY HOMESCHOOLING IS GOOD FOR KIDS Why do you think homeschooling is good for kids?

(If you’d like to know more about how you can homeschool your child, take a look at my last post “CAN I HOMESCHOOL MY CHILD?'”

Also, check out WHY WE HOMESCHOOL and WHY WE HOMESCHOOL PART 2.

The post 10 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

You are considering homeschooling your child, but you are full of questions. You may be thinking…

“Can I homeschool my child?

Will we be able to keep up?

Is this the right choice for my children’s education?

Do homeschooled children have friends?

What if they are missing something?”

Here are several reasons why you CAN homeschool your child!

What does it take to homeschool your child?

I recently read a fantastic article written by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association in which the author listed two crucial attitudes necessary for new homeschoolers to make it over the long haul.

They need to believe

1. “We really can pull this off!” and

2. “Homeschooling is good for our children.”

When my oldest son was 4 years old several years ago, I asked myself the same question, “Do I have what it takes to homeschool my child?” Can I possibly do this?

After more than fourteen years of homeschooling, here is what I have learned.

You will learn as you go.

Whenever you start something new, you are bound to make mistakes. There will even be days when you will completely blow it as a homeschooling parent, BUT you will learn as you go!

• Does your daily schedule not seem to be working? You will figure it out.
• Are you having a hard time managing both the house and school? You will find a workable routine. (And you just might become more flexible!)
• Do you stink at math? You will grow in it. You will become better at math AND you will become a better math teacher.

The other day my husband happened to be home for a school day and our 7th grade son asked him to help him with his math problems (fractions). My husband gave me a deer-in-the-headlights look across the room, telepathically asking for my help.

It’s not that my husband doesn’t know fractions or is bad at math. It’s not that I’m a math whiz or that math has always come easily to me. The fact is that I have been studying and teaching math every day for the past 14 years since our oldest (now graduated) started Kindergarten.

When you work at something on a daily basis, you become better at it. It’s fresh in your mind and you can more clearly break it down in different ways for others to understand.

As our oldest grew and started some higher grade level math work, I had that same deer-in-the-headlights look at times, BUT we figured it out together step by step. Now I understand how to do it and teach it to the kids who are coming up behind him.

Stay one step of your oldest child. You will learn as you go.

It gets easier as your kids get older.

Building the foundation of your child’s education is hard work, but it WILL get easier as your kids get older!! This is one thing I wish someone had told me.

The longer you homeschool and the older your kids get, the easier home education becomes. Yes, maybe the subject matter becomes more challenging. Still, managing schedules, finding your style and your child’s learning style, gaining confidence, meeting your child’s needs, homeschooling with littles underfoot….all these things become easier.

The longer you homeschool, the more readers you have in the house. The more readers you have, the more independent they can be with their work.

At the beginning of your homeschooling journey, everything feels so foreign and takes a lot of time, especially if you grew up going to school and homeschooling is a brand new concept to you.

Choosing a homeschool curriculum the first year can be daunting. Becoming familiar with your curriculum also takes time.

In the beginning, you may be just starting to establish support groups that are a good fit for you and the kids. It’s not always easy finding and making new friends!

Many moms start homeschooling their Kindergartner while juggling younger kids and/or pregnancy which is an additional challenge.

My first several years of homeschooling were hands-down the hardest for me. But now I am reaping the rewards of that hard work and I’m so glad we stuck with it!

Of our ten kids, one is graduated and seven are school-age. We have six readers and five fairly independent learners. I still have young children, but it is different now than when my oldest started school. Back then it was a challenge to help the older children with school work while keeping the baby occupied and the toddler from flushing something down the toilet!

Now, my littles tend to follow the older kids. They want to do “school” since that’s what everybody else seems to be doing! They will sometimes sit beside them and draw or pretend they are doing their own work. Often my older kids will take a break and read to the littles. It’s a whole new world when you have older kids!

Encourage your kids to be self-learners and watch them thrive.

Years ago, someone told me this regarding children. “The one who is doing the most work is the one learning.”

Think about that. Are you doing everything for your child? Are you holding their hand all day long as they muscle through their work? Consider pushing them to be self-learners. Try giving them a daily checklist to follow. Make them responsible for all the work that they can do independently.

In my early years as a homeschool parent, I used a math curriculum that was very hands-on. It taught basic math facts using manipulatives and games. I thought it was a perfect fit for our second son, a hands-on learner.

Due to the number of children in our growing family, however, I simply could not teach three math lessons to three different kids every day on top of all our other school work and caring for younger children! I reluctantly let go of teaching his daily lesson and switched to a more self-directed curriculum.

What I observed in my son afterward completely changed my opinion on this! He liked seeing how much work he had to accomplish each day- rather than me teaching a lesson for which he had no idea how long it would take!

I became more of a facilitator in his learning rather than a lecturer. He came to me when he needed help with a new concept, but he figured out how to solve problems by reading and studying the lesson examples.

He learned HOW to learn himself! What a valuable skill!!

Reading covers a multitude of sins.

Ask any experienced homeschool mom for advice and you will hear this message repeatedly. READ. TO. THEM. Read a lot. Read to kids who can already read.

Whatever mistakes you make in your first homeschool year (and you will make them!), they aren’t crucial if you read to them a lot.

Reading covers so much ground. It fosters their imagination. More importantly, it creates in them an insatiable desire to learn more, read more, and know more about things about which they have always wondered.

Reading will be your margin for error. It’s okay to make mistakes in homeschooling if you are reading to them a lot.

How much reading? Little snippets throughout the day. Here a little, there a little. For more on this, see my blog post Teaching a Child to Read and Teaching a Child to Read Part 2.

Find a community.

I’ve met them. The people who say they’ve tried homeschooling and it just didn’t work for them. This is what they all have in common. They tried to do it alone. Don’t make this mistake.

Don’t think you can pull this off without somebody in your corner. No man is an island. You need to meet other homeschool moms and your kids need to have friendships with other kids who are also homeschooled.

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is a great resource for national listings of homeschool support groups. Their website has a community section where you can look up organizations by state and more specifically, by county.

Another great way to find community is simply to ask around. Many churches host homeschool co-ops. Look for groups on Facebook. Asking people helps give you a feel for the best option in your area.

Or Start Your Own Community!

If you have a pioneer spirit, you can also start your own homeschool co-op! That’s how our co-op started over ten years ago.

There were five of us moms with kids about the same age. We met and talked about homeschooling here and there. We decided to start meeting in each other’s homes every week.

It was a good place to start, especially because we were all in the same place and had so many things in common to talk about.

Over the years, our group expanded and we now have 35 families and over 150 kids! Our co-op is like family to us. I can say with certainty that I would not have continued homeschooling if it were not for the wonderful friendships and support we found through our co-op.

YOU are the expert on your child.

You are the expert on your child.

No one knows your child like you do. No one has a personal, life-long investment in your child like you. No one will work harder or search more diligently than you will to find the resources your child needs for their struggles AND gifts.

While certified teachers may be experts in a particular field or specialize in teaching a certain age, YOU are the expert on your child. And the more you homeschool, the more adept you become at understanding the unique person they are becoming.

Imagine the following scenario. Your child goes to school from K-12th grade. Imagine that among many teachers along the way, he had one teacher, chosen because he or she had the utmost ardor and care for your child. Imagine that this person remained his teacher, his advocate, his role model, his champion from Kindergarten through the culmination of his education…his final year.

That teacher is you. YOU are the expert on your child.

Some of the most amazing homeschoolers I have met have had no teaching background at all! The two basic qualities that I see great homeschool parents have are these: 1. An insatiable desire to learn and 2. a passion for their kids’ success.

Here’s Why You CAN Homeschool Your Child

Not all parents choose to homeschool, but I firmly believe that ANY parent CAN homeschool their child well. Who else, but a loving parent is better equipped to pursue any means to do what is in their child’s best interest? I am confident that any parent can create a learning environment that thrusts their child to love learning and life.

When I started our homeschool journey over fourteen years ago, I asked myself, “Do I have what it takes to homeschool my child?” Looking back now, I wish I had known all the benefits of homeschooling and realized what an excellent education it is for kids. I had no idea then that this would end up being the best decision we would make for our family.

I felt alone and unsure of myself. I knew that God had called me to this. And I loved it.. even with the challenges. I just wasn’t sure how it was all going to turn out.

More than anything, I wanted our kids to have the very best. I remember reading this verse one morning and tucking it away because it was so encouraging to me.

Psalm 37:6 “He will make your righteousness shine like a light, your just cause like the noonday sun.”

If you are going to make it this year, you have to know, from this homeschool mom who has been where you are….

don’t doubt yourself,

don’t underestimate what God can do through this,

take a deep breath,

you really CAN homeschool your child!

The post Do I Have What It Takes to Homeschool My Child? appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

If you homeschool your kids, people will question everything. you. do. Anytime you step outside of cultural norms, people question you. You will unlikely be able to satisfy their curiosity no matter what you say. This is the catch 22 of homeschooling.

We had a very sweet ninety year old neighbor who could never understand the idea of homeschooling. We developed a close relationship with her. When I would have a new baby, she would have me over for tea and, of course, she wanted to hold the baby! Over the years, we would take her samples of desserts we had made and she would send over her extra bananas that were starting to brown. Every season, she would bring the kids Easter and Halloween candy. She loved our family, but she could never get over the whole homeschooling thing.

Occasionally, she would ask me about it and I would try to explain in the best way I could. Each time, she would respond with this puzzled look on her face. I went over it again and again from every angle. Yes, Helen, they have friends. And, yes, I report all their work to the local school district. They have lots of friends from different circles. They are involved in the community. By the way, would you like to buy some Cub Scout popcorn?

No matter what I said, she would just look at me with a dumbfounded expression. On one occasion, dear Helen pulled herself up to her full 4’11”, looked me square in the eyes and almost yelled, “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THOSE KIDS IN SCHOOL?!!”

If you swim against the current, you will find people will question you, no matter how well you and your kids are doing.

Here are some examples.

If you homeschool your kids because you want to pass down your faith to them, you are probably brainwashing them.  

If you follow a more relaxed, interest-led style…. they are probably not getting a “real” education.

If your kids excel at academics, scoring above grade-level in every area on standardized tests, you are too hard on them. They’re probably brainiacs with no social skills. You are trying to produce the perfect child. “Loosen up a little, let them be kids!”

If your teenagers aren’t wearing a certain name brand and giving you attitude, they are probably over protected and unsocialized. On the other hand, if your teenagers have attitude and balk at your requests, it’s probably because they are bristling against their sheltered life.

Additionally, if your kids have a great group of friends, people assume their group is only other homeschoolers. They must all be in the same sheltered bubble.

And finally, if they look “normal” and all your ducks are in a row, you are too perfect. Only a supermom could do that!

In some ways, you really can’t win! This is the Catch 22 of Homeschooling.

Here are questions you will get as a mom. 

–If you LOVE that you get to spend so much time investing in your kids, people ask,

“Don’t you want to do something for yourself, though?”

(If you teach other people’s kids, that is a career, but if you teach your own, its . . . what?!) 

When you are overwhelmed, exhausted, and your kids are driving you crazy, they say,

” Why are you doing this to yourself?!”

On the other hand, if your kids are happy and well-adjusted and everything is going well, the question is…

“Well, what are you going to do with them in high school? How long are you going to do this to them?!”

When homeschooling feels tough, you hear…

“You know, you could just put them in school!”

I say, it’s tough for a reason, and I’m good at what I do. I am proud of what we learn here in our home, more than anything I did in the classroom as a public school teacher. We homeschool moms can take pride in our work because its done with the gut-wrenching, self-sacrificing love that only a mother understands.

Here are questions people ask your kids.

Have you seen the popular meme that says homeschooled kids are asked questions that adults could only answer with their smart phones. This is absolutely true. People will randomly ask your kids their multiplication facts, history trivia, how to spell random words. If you haven’t experienced this yet, just wait, it’s coming! Really!

They want to know if your kids are smart. And if they ARE smart, well then do they have friends?  These two questions are pretty much circular. 

This is the catch 22 of homeschooling.

Keep on Keeping On

If you’ve stepped out and decided to homeschool your kids, you are going to get all kinds of responses from people. These are ALL questions that people have asked me. And, if they haven’t already, they will ask you too! Just so you’re prepared for it.

This may or may not be true, but many times I have felt that if you do what everyone else is doing, even if it’s bad, you have few critics, and if you do something different from what everyone else is doing, even if it is VERY good, people are quick to criticize or question.

This is why it is SO important to know why you are homeschooling. You need to remind yourself why homeschooling is GOOD for your kids , why its the best choice for your whole family.

Don’t let the loud voices of your critics pull you down. You have made a wonderful choice for your kids. Keep doing your best. Keep savoring all the time you get with your kids, making little bits of progress every day.

You are doing something really great. No matter what others think.

RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Looking for more homeschooling encouragement and ideas? Check out my most popular posts!

Advice from Homeschool Moms for Beginners

10 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good For Kids

How to Make a Homeschool Portfolio

Also find inspiration for your homeschool by checking out my gallery of MOM INTERVIEWS!

The post The Catch 22 of Homeschooling appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Meet my friend, Robin! Jeff and Robin live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Jeff is a self-employed contractor. Robin stays home with their kids and manages the bookkeeping for their business. They have four kids and have been homeschooling for ten years. Robin was one of the first friends I met when I started homeschooling. Join us as she talks about her journey from teaching in a classroom to teaching in a home. She explains beautifully how her philosophy of education affects the choices they have made in the work of homeschooling their children. Enjoy this interview: A Charlotte Mason Inspired Education with Robin.

Video: A Charlotte Mason Inspired Education with Robin

Hi, my name is Robin Troyer and I have been married to Jeff for 22 years. We have 4 beautiful children and have been homeschooling for at least 10 years now.

What drew us to homeschooling?

I was very much influenced by my sister’s journey with home schooling. She started about 5 years ahead of me, and since both of us were previous school teachers we naturally had many conversations on the topic.

The Lord also brought an older woman into my life who had home schooled all her children through high school and introduced me to Charlotte Mason and her philosophy. Learning about CM’s philosophy of education resonated so deeply with me, it did not take long for me (and my husband) to see the beauty and possibilities with home education.

What advice would you give to parents who are temporarily homeschooling this year due to schools closing?

~ Be aware of the temptation to compare yourself to other moms/families.

We can all struggle with this at times. You know your children the best, and you are the best one to make these decisions for them and the one that loves them most. G.K. Chesterton said, “If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly”. I believe Chesterton to mean that we do not need to have things perfect to do something meaningful.

For example; gardening is a worthwhile pursuit, and at the moment, my garden is full of weeds, so I may think I’m doing “badly” at gardening, but it is worth the effort and I should persevere in it. As I grow in gardening, it may not be so full of weeds as it is now. The same is true with home schooling. I still struggle with, at times, this comparison trap, and think others are doing school better than I am. But as I continue to grow and learn, I need to remember that this is still a worthwhile endeavor and to persevere in it.

~ Every family is unique.

We may use the same curriculum, but in the end, how we implement it, or stress parts of it, will inevitably look different from one another. Do what is best for your family. Trust your judgement, and stick with it. Some of the “words” I keep before me each year: persevere, be diligent, be faithful.

~ Remember who YOU are and who your CHILDREN are.

Every mom has different strengths and weaknesses, as well as every child. Know your capacity; it will look different than other moms. Know your strengths and use them this year. Know your weaknesses and seek others to help you or encourage you. It helps me to write these things down, especially those of my children. This can help direct you with what you really need to focus in on, especially if you are homeschooling for just this year.

~ Keep things simple.

~ Read aloud to your children as much as you can. ALL ages. You will never regret it.

~ Take nature walks with your children…. especially on really nice days. Do not be afraid to be spontaneous.

~ Try to find community if you can. It will encourage you and your children in these trying times.

What does school look like in your home?

It depends on the season. Each year is a little different depending on what is happening in life, or the needs of my children. Currently, our days look a little like the following:

8:00—breakfast
8:30—Math & Latin
10:00—Morning Time/Family Time
Lunch
Afternoon—independent studies (Language Arts, History, Science)

How do you teach multiple ages?

This has always felt difficult for me especially after having experience with teaching in a classroom. I was so used to one age group at a time, one subject, and prep periods to do my planning. It has taken me many years to learn the ways of the “one-room schoolhouse”. Ha!

Early on I did as many subjects as we could as a family; I called this Family Time (before I knew of the concept of Morning Time) Those subjects were: Bible, History, Science, Art appreciation, Music appreciation, etc. The subjects that were done independently (or one on one with me) were: Language Arts/Phonics, Math, and Latin.

When the children were little, and still taking naps, I would usually do the independent studies with whoever was not taking a nap. As the children grew older, my older ones could do those subjects more and more without my help as I worked with my younger ones.

It is something that I am still learning to juggle. It is difficult. I am finding that even though I will have a high schooler this year, there are still challenges to work around. I would like to give her the Socratic discussion time she needs, but my youngest is only in 3rd grade and will still need me quite a bit. It may be one of my greatest challenges, but it is SO worth it, even if it is “done badly” on some days.

How do you start a new year?

I have tried over the years to make the first day of school special. I learned this from my wonderful sister. So, if I am able, we have a nice homemade breakfast or something fun like donuts. I usually try to give the kids little gifts: new pencils, a new “fun” book, erasers, candy, or a “brain” toy/activity. We fill out an “All About Me” paper after breakfast where the kids record fun things about themselves for that year: grade, age, favorite food, favorite activity, hobbies, etc. This is always fun to see how the children are changing and growing over the years.

Then we usually take “school” pictures. Sometimes, we will then meet up with another family and go for a nature walk and have lunch outside. We also take time to set up their notebooks Charlotte Mason style.

There have been years, though, when we just have to “jump” in due to what is happening in that season of life. We usually find our way and rhythms for the new year as we tread water during those times.

What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is probably teaching the multiple ages as I mentioned above and maintaining the proper balance between school and home. I also do the bookkeeping for my husband’s business, so I am usually feeling “behind” in most areas.

Despite this, I know it is worth the challenges, and I know that I can lean into my Lord as He provides the grace and strength, I need each day. I have seen over and over the truth that “When I am weak, He is strong”, and that He will carry me and my children through this amazing journey of home education. Each new day affords new opportunities to trust Him. He loves my children more than I do and has a perfect plan for their lives. I know that I can depend on and trust Him in this.

Describe your philosophy of education and how that plays out in your home.

My philosophy of education has been greatly influenced and shaped by Charlotte Mason. There is so much to absorb and contemplate in her writings and methods, that I believe it will give me food for thought for a lifetime!

I love Charlotte Mason’s three instruments of education: “atmosphere of environment, discipline of habit, presentation of living ideas. In short, Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” (For the Children’s Sake, MacCauley)

Education is an atmosphere.

Atmosphere In the Home

In the busyness of life, schooling, and running our own business, these three instruments of education have helped to direct my plans each new school year. I believe atmosphere encompasses a few areas: mood of the home, ideas and communication, activity, and décor/design of the home.

In considering education is an atmosphere: Am I creating a comfortable learning environment for my children? A place where they can explore and discuss ideas freely? Are they surrounded by beautiful things; a feast for their eyes, and food for thought? Is there a sense of peace in our home?

Some practical things I do to continue to grow as a homemaker and educator: we frequently bring nature into our home; cut flowers, branches, and greenery, as well as “nature” finds and place them all throughout our home. I tend to weave the beauty of nature naturally into my home décor.

I also display prints of great artists throughout our home as well. I do not buy “kid furniture”, but instead focus on antiques, solid wood, and comfortable fabrics for our furniture. Each room of our home houses books, elements of nature, and even some type of “educational” instrument. Currently, our telescope is part of our dining room, and our globe and world map adorn our living room.

When we can afford it, I also try to purchase well-made toys/manipulatives. I keep these in baskets within quick reach (and easy clean-up) for active minds and hands. I keep candles on hand for family meals, and those dark evenings in winter; and my husband loves to add ambient lighting throughout our house (light dimmers, string lights for the porch, solar lights for the garden etc. The lighting of a home really adds a comfortable and cozy element to any space.

Atmosphere of Communication

But atmosphere is not just how our home looks. We must also consider the ideas and communication in our homes. Is our home a place where we share ideas and encourage critical thinking? Is it a place where we can come together in forgiveness and grace when one has been offended or sinned against? I am grateful that we are still in a season of life where we can have family meals most evenings of the week. This may be harder to do as our children grow older, but it has become a priority that I hope we will strive to keep.

Meals are some of the best times for this “exchange of ideas” and participating in the “great conversation”. It is also a place where children should feel welcomed to share, learning how to speak well, and participate in discussion. Every now and then, a candlelight dinner just for the sake of it, adds an element of beauty and the beckoning call to linger just a bit longer together.

One last practical way we work on the atmosphere of our home is asking the Lord to help each of us learn to “breath grace” to one another. This phrase was adopted from a sermon by Ken Sande, and has been transformational in our interactions with one another. My prayer is that our home is a peaceful home, full of grace and comfort, a haven for anyone in need.

Education is a discipline.

Charlotte Mason was a strong believer and advocate for habit formation. I agree with her that it is in the earliest years of a child’s life that the formation of habits is essential. These habits range from every aspect of life.

A few examples: consideration, truthfulness, obedience, attention, hygiene, etc. Some ways I incorporate discipline into our daily lives: reading books (picture books/chapter books) regularly for demonstrating character, working on manners in various life situations: meal times, when company comes over, community interactions, etc.

At times I have picked a “habit” and we have focused on it for about 8 weeks, reading and discussing its importance as well as practicing it. At the beginning of each school year, I try to meet with each of my children individually and we discuss goals for the school year. I encourage them towards thinking about areas in their lives they want to see improvement. We pick a couple to work on and come up with ways they can grow in those areas.

Education is a life.

“…the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied. The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.” (CM, Home Education) Our morning time/family time part of our day is a direct outflow of this instrument of education. It is during this time of our day that I endeavor to lay a feast before my children to nourish not only their minds, but hearts as well. Picture study, composer study, listening to classical music, learning a new hymn, reading the scriptures, nature note booking, poetry reading/memorization, reading aloud classic literature, are some examples of what might be a part of our morning time.

I strongly believe that our children’s education is not just a six hour a day endeavor and then we shut the books and live our lives. Education is all encompassing. We are seeking to teach and train and instill a love of learning so that it lasts a lifetime.

I desire that the end result of my time with them in our home is that when they leave these walls, they take a notebook with them to capture the Glory they will see and encounter, to continue to grow in their appreciation of all things beautiful and worthy, and feed their minds on honorable and trustworthy, living books and ideas.

“The question is not, -how much does the youth know? When he has finished his education—but how much does he care? And about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set?
And therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” (CM)

This is what we strive for, and on those tough days, it is helpful to step back and remember the vision and press on.

Robin’s Favorite Resources

Education:

For the Children’s Sake

The Living Page

The Well-Trained Mind

Bible:

The Child’s Story Bible

History Lives Series: Chronicles of the Church

Parables From Nature

History:

Story of the World

Heirloom Audio Productions: G.A. Henty audio adventures

Beautiful Feet Books literature packs

Language Arts:
Cottage Press

Math:
Singapore Math
Math-U-See

Latin:
Latin for Children & Latin Alive!

Science:
Apologia

Handbook of Nature Study

Food Anatomy, Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy Collection

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

Other:
Picture Study Portfolios (Simplycharlottemason.com)

Family Literature Favorites:

Little Britches Series

Lord of the Rings Series

, Chronicles of Narnia

Little House on thePrairie series

The Green Ember Series

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

Edith Nesbit books, any and all fairy
tales, and so much more!

Have questions for Robin? You can contact her at jefnrobn@hotmail.com. Remember, though, moms are busy! Response time may be delayed, but she will try to reply as soon as she can!

The post A Charlotte Mason Inspired Education with Robin appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

1.Familiarize yourself with the homeschool laws of your state.

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is an excellent resource for new homeschool families who are making choices about their children’s education. Their website supplies information about each state’s homeschool law, resources for getting started, help for special needs, and information on homeschooling high school students.

According to their website,

“We believe every child is unique. That children should learn in ways that meet their needs. And that you want the best for your child. Homeschooling gives you the freedom to personalize their education so they can realize their potential.HSLDA passionately advocates for the freedom to homeschool and offers support for every stage of your homeschool journey.“

2. Pick a homeschool curriculum and just start.

You can be choosy, get some material in hand to look through, take your time, but understand that you will never be completely satisfied with your choice. I highly recommend Kathy Duffy’s Homeschool Curriculum Reviews. Use caution though! Finding a homeschool curriculum can be very overwhelming. There are so many great options available. Ask another homeschooler or use curriculum reviews, but pick something and just get started. You will learn as you go.

3. Remember the 3 R’s.

Make sure they are reading, writing, and solving math problems every day. These subjects are skills. Do not short-cut these! They should be progressing in these three areas daily. We start with the 3 R’s every morning because they are foundational subjects. Have them conquer these when they are fresh. The other content areas can have some flexibility, but reading, writing, and math should be a priority.

4. Read. A Lot.

Read to them, even if they are already readers. Find a good book list and start purchasing or ordering from the library. Many homeschoolers use Sarah Makenzie’s Read Aloud Revival booklist.

Read to your young children and read to your older kids. Students of all ages can enjoy having someone read to them!

When you make this a part of your homeschool routine, it is one chance you both get to sit together, to look at one another, to explore places, ideas, words, feelings. This will mean more to them than any cheap thrill or gadget you buy them.

If you think about it, other than math (which is a skill) and writing (which is the overflow of reading), children learn almost all other subjects through reading. This is why reading to them covers so much ground!

In addition to reading great books to them, allow time in your school day for them to read quietly. We have a time right after lunch when everyone drops everything to read something purely for enjoyment. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. We do 15-30 minutes.

Audio books are another great way to help struggling readers. Let them listen to an audiobook every night in bed. Bedtime is a perfet time for audiobooks because they are not as easily distracted as listening to a book during the day. Here are more tips for Teaching a Child To Read.

5. Find a community of other homeschoolers.

This is a biggie in my book. It’s the difference in sinking or swimming. If you have a support group and your kids have great friends, you might start loving this new lifestyle! Many homeschool co-ops meet weekly or bi-weekly to offer classes, field trips, concerts, book clubs, dramas, sports programs, music lessons, and much more.

There is one caution that I would give. Be aware that if you choose for your curriculum a type of online learning (such as cyber schooling) that requires kids to be on the computer at certain and/or random times, and if you have more than one child, it will be very difficult to be available enough to be part of a regular homeschooling community.

6. You don’t have to teach individual subjects for each of your kids in all areas.

Although math, reading, and writing are subjects where kids progress at their own level, you can combine other subjects for multiple ages. You can cover history, science, and other content areas as a group.

For example, in history, pick a time period and explore that for a year. Pull library books, cook recipes, watch documentaries, visit museums. If your kids are crafty, let them make costumes or dioramas. When you find creative ways to explore their interests, you encourage a love of learning in your kids.

For science, ask your kids what they have always wondered about…the human body, simple machines, weather? Find a book of experiments on that topic and let them discover! Use this as a chance for them to learn about things that interest them! What do you remember from history and science in school? You remember the things that interested you!

7. Use this time with your kids as an opportunity.

Homeschooling is a great opportunity for you to do things with your kids that you’ve always wanted to do, but never made the time for. What is that one thing that you never have enough time to do with them?

Try asking the kids, “What is one thing you have always wondered about?” Or, “If you could pick one thing you would like to learn about, what would it be?” Then, take them to the library and find everything you can on that subject. Go places and talk to people that can teach you more about that topic. Watch documentaries on it.

Is there a skill they want to master? Have them watch YouTube videos to learn how to do it. I guarantee you, if you try this, your kids will learn things that they will never forget. In addition to that, they will love learning this way.

8. Don’t worry about what they are “missing” in school.

When we expect children to achieve certain skills or material at a certain age or grade, we are forgetting that children are unique individuals. Yes, we should have high expectations for them. We should also require diligent progress in their daily homeschool lessons.

But remember that children progress at different paces in different areas! They also have different learning styles.

Here is what happens when we set educational standards for all children of a certain age. A child who is weak in Math may be grade levels ahead in reading. In some areas a child might be ready to move on, but held back by these limitations and in other areas of study, he might be struggling and need more help or a slower pace, but be forced to move on.

In my opinion, when we try to fit large groups of children into “what you are supposed to know in X grade”, we ignore the uniqueness of the child.

Your child is an individual. Do not underestimate the headway you can make working one-on-one with your him or her! Do not worry about what they are missing in regular school. If they are progressing every day, they will be fine.

9. Pray.

Pray about your school year. God gave your child to YOU and you to your child. He thinks YOU are the one person who is best equipped to raise him or her! Ask Him for help with practical things… how to schedule your day, how to help your child in areas of struggle, how to teach math. Don’t doubt God’s ability to do “abundantly more than we ask or think.”

I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 16:8

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.

Psalm 37:5

If you are a beginning homeschooler, what questions do you have? It can be so helpful to ask homeschool moms for advice on how they do it.

The post The Best Advice From Homeschool Moms for Beginners appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

When kids love learning, they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned in any given circumstance. It won’t be terribly crucial if they are “missing” something. Their curiosity will drive them to find a way to satisfy that appetite. They will fill in missing pieces because of their urge to know. This is what happens when kids love to learn.

The children are hungry! They have an appetite for knowing and experiencing.

It is the strong, real world that interests them so much, where the unexpected can happen and there is wonderful mystery.

-Susan Schaeffer Macaulay For The Children’s Sake

My Experience Starting Out Homeschooling

When I started out homeschooling, I relied almost completely on my experience as a public school teacher. I printed out the state standards for Kindergarten. Using this as my guide, I was confident I was going to give my child a solid education!

We began our year, doing the same work that kids were doing in school. We did not have a classroom and schedule like everyone else, but we were doing essentially the same work except with a little more freedom and flexibility.

As we worked our way through the year, I started noticing something that I did not expect. What I observed was that my son started to WONDER. He was curious about everything.

• Look, there is a bug on that leaf. What is it? A bee. Oh, what kind? What is the bee doing? What does a bee eat?
• Why is the sun at noon directly above our house in summer, but at noon in winter, it is along the tree line?

As we encountered real problems in our home or out in the world, his curiosity grew. In the afternoons as I read story after story to him without limitations on what we read or how we read it or how long we read, he wanted more. He had more questions.

“Keeping Up with Kids in School”

My determination to “keep up with the kids in school” shifted as I found that we were doing more than the state required in some ways.

And in other ways, some of the things he was interested in or I thought were important for him to learn didn’t line up with what we were “supposed to be learning” for that year. I found that he was absorbing and retaining so much in addition to what I was teaching him.

He was fascinated by the world around him and had a zest for learning. At home, we were able to get our school work done in a few hours leaving him with an afternoon of free time. With a condensed school day, short lessons, quality time with books, free time to imagine and to create, to go outside and play, I watched my son thrive.

This is what happens when kids love to learn.

Yes, he still had mornings that he didn’t want to do his lessons. We had our moments arguing over his work. There was still the hard stuff that he had to diligently plod through, but his school work was done in a relatively short amount of time leaving him free to do the real learning that was most important to him.

After School Hours: The Real Learning Begins!

And what did he do when we finished?

He would go out and shoot his bow and arrow in the yard. Or finish the book he had started the night before.

Sometimes he would go outside and figure out how to put the chain back on his bike. Other times, he might find a snake in the yard and want to keep it, so he would research everything he could about what a snake eats, what a snake needs to survive. As he encountered real-life problems that only happen in the real world, he wanted to try to solve them.

More than ever, he wanted to explore, to grow, to produce.

He wanted to learn.

My heart swelled as I watched my child THRIVE in the pure freedom of learning for enjoyment!

I have observed this same experience homeschooling all our kids.

Stifling Their Curiosity

When I think of the alternative of my kids sitting in classrooms all day (especially now with so many kids having to wear masks for long hours or even sitting at home in front of a screen cyber-schooling), it makes me sad to think of so many kids learning for long hours of the day this way. It is a poor match for a child’s developmental needs, especially young children.

When kids are stifled by their environment, they will grow to despise learning. And when they hate learning, it doesn’t really matter what we teach them anymore, it will not sink in.

I suggest that the opposite is also true. When kids love learning, it’s not terribly crucial if they are “missing” something. Their appetite will drive them to find a way to satisfy that curiosity. They will fill in missing pieces because of their urge to know. This is what happens when kids love to learn.

Extraordinary Kids, Ordinary Parents

Here’s a question. Have you ever met a homeschooled child who surprised you in a good sort of way?

His mom must be a teacher….or have oodles of patience….or have the right personality- a supermom for sure!

I’d like to suggest that kids like this are a reflection, not just of their moms (and/or dads) who homeschool them, but of homeschooling itself!

They are a reflection of a child set free. A child fed a rich diet of beauty…and given time to reflect on it. They are the outcome of a childhood of one-on-one time with a person who is invested in them for life.

Have you ever considered that maybe these kids have ordinary parents? That being in a home environment can be a wonderful place to learn?

Could it be that the reason some kids are thriving in a homeschool environment is because the homeschooling model encourages a love of learning?

What happens when kids love to learn?

Here are some things I have observed when my kids love learning something.

They…

1. Care.
2. Are motivated.
3. Experiment and try new things.
4. Create and imagine.
5. Solve problems. When they don’t understand something, they find a way to figure it out.
6. Take ownership of their work.
7. Get excited about their ideas.
8. Take initiative for projects.
9. Are always learning new things.

So, though our schedules, curriculum, and plans for the year have their place, let’s not forget to help them love to learn. While it is important to work hard and push through some of the tough spots of school, remember to give them space to enjoy it all.

Our children are hungry. Let’s give them something REAL. As Susan Schaeffer Macaulay writes in another place, “Life is just too interesting for boredom!”

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