Encouragement for Homeschool Moms in the 1st Year

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How have your first months of your homeschool life been? I want to hear all the deets.

If you and I were hanging out in our zoom room, I’d ask you, what’s working for you, what’s not, what’s working for your kids, what’s not, and have you had any unexpected challenges along the way? I want to hear all about it.

Then I would help you unpack your feelings, your thoughts, and your experiences, and I’d want to give you a little encouragement, just like I offer encouragement for homeschool moms every day.

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Here’s a little encouragement for homeschool moms in their 1st year.

Five questions to help assess your 1st homeschool year:

Question #1:

Reflecting on these past few months, how did you overcome challenges that made you doubt your abilities as a homeschooling parent?

Question #2:

Describe a moment when you adapted your teaching approach to better suit your child’s needs or interests. How did this flexibility impact your homeschooling experience?

Question #3:

In what ways did connecting with other homeschooling parents or communities help you navigate uncertainties or difficult moments throughout the year?

Question #4:

Share an instance where you and your child delved into a new subject or learning experience together. How did this mutual exploration enhance your bond and understanding of each other?

Question #5:

Reflecting on your routines and schedules, how did you prioritize breaks and self-care for yourself and your child?

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I’ve got encouragement for homeschool moms in their 1st year:

You did it! You managed to make it through the first four or five months of your homeschool year! Woot woot, I celebrate with you!

Let’s chat about your routine:

• What does it look like?
• Do you have one?
• Do you have one that’s working for you? (There isn’t one right way to homeschool and you won’t find one right routine either.)
• But you start somewhere, so you create a simple routine that includes the most important things.

(If you’re keenly aware that your routine ISN’T working for you, consider joining the Patreon Homeschool Mama Support Group and we’ll craft and clarify your routine for the upcoming year.)

One of the advantages of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers.

But many homeschool parents don’t embrace this freedom as much as we could: you can tailor your curriculum to your child’s needs and interests. (If you’re struggling to do it, then you’re right on track. Because it’s atypical to have it all figured that first year, or any year, just saying…)

Homeschooling is an opportunity for both you and your child to learn and grow.

Assume you’re getting a second chance at your education and then explore new subjects together. NOTE: When you follow your curiosities and your interests, you’ll learn so much!

Not coincidentally: these two things will make your homeschool life so much easier: let your kids follow their curiosities and interests too.

They’ll learn so much too.

(In last week’s Support Group workshop we were talking about learning styles, and how that’s a myth. Ya know, learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic, etc); when in fact, we have preferences but we learn when…before I tell you what the research declares, I want to know what you think (write it down or send your thoughts on socials)….we learn when something matters to us.

Ummm, jackpot! We have the opportunity to offer that to our kids, wouldn’t you say?

The curriculum you have or the resources you own right now are good enough.

You have the right ones. Or at least, I’ll cut to the chase: there isn’t one right curriculum, someone else doesn’t have the perfect curriculum, and whatever you have is good enough.

A curriculum doesn’t create an education…raising a child to feel like they are living a meaningful life and have the ability to follow their curiosities is a beautiful education.

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What’s your plan for when someone asks you about the S question?

But what about socialization?

If you don’t have a plan, but it annoys you, it’s time to create a plan. (& If you want to hear Liana Francisco, Kelly Edwards and I discussing this old, and I mean soooo old, question, and answer it in unexpected ways, head to the shownotes of this episode to rewatch our conversation.)

Are you thinking you haven’t quite cracked this homeschool nut because every day isn’t working as you’d like?

Then it’s going just as expected: homeschooling has its ups and downs. There may be days when things don’t go as planned. There may be many possible unexpected experiences.

• You might discover your child has a learning challenge.
• You might discover a dynamic in your family life is pushing your buttons with regularity.
• You might discover that your kiddo doesn’t want to wake up as early as you to begin the day.
• Or they are up before you!
• Or any number of possibilities: you fill in the blank…

These are your opportunities to slow down, assess what’s going on, and learn how you can grow into who you need to be in your family or learn how to be flexible with your schedule.

Recognize that your kiddo’s learning preferences might be conflicting with yours.

As Michelle shared in the Patreon group last week, her kiddo is a “friend learner”–he likes to learn alongside others. I know I’ve had that kiddo: she’s still that kiddo in her first year of college. And I have a kiddo that would rather do it independently. She’s also still that kiddo in university.

Every child is unique, so pay attention to how your child learns best. Adapt your approaches to match their learning preferences.

Celebrate your child’s milestones and successes, no matter how small.

Positive reinforcement can be a great motivator, but certainly, everyone wants to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. And above anyone else, your kids want to hear that from you!

Don’t forget to take breaks for both you and your child.

Short breaks can help you recharge and maintain enthusiasm. Let’s chat summer, Christmas (lean into unschooling for holidays), Fridays, and a 100-day party.

Your well-being is essential for a satisfying homeschool life. Make time for yourself and ensure you have a support system in place.

Assess your expectations.

Homeschooling doesn’t have to look like traditional schooling and it doesn’t have to look like anyone you follow on social media, not how I did it, or another prominent influencer, and it doesn’t have to look like anything you’ve ever seen.

You’re raising your kids, and you’re facilitating it as their unique homeschool parent.

So that means the formula for YOUR homeschool life is going to look a whole lot different than other homeschool families.

You do you, girlfriend: embrace you. (Then notice your expectations ease into realistic expectations: it’ll happen when you embrace the reality of your kids and yourself.)

Seek Professional Guidance or Outside Help

If you ever feel overwhelmed or if your child faces specific challenges, don’t hesitate to consult with educational professionals or special needs experts (ps I’ll be having a conversation with Diane Geerlinks Educational Therapy tomorrow about strategies and therapeutic solutions to encourage kids that experience ADHD: their challenges, how to help them overcome any challenges, or at least plan for them, and also how to engage their social well-being).

Trust the Process: Homeschooling is a journey that evolves.

Take a look back in your camera roll from when you first birthed that baby (this is, of course, assuming your kiddo isn’t older than five because I don’t know how much space you have in your phone, but 5 years of photos would make my phone implode; I’m presently uploading 20,000 photos from the last six months, oh boy, but I digress…)…The point of me sharing this is that you need to Trust the Process: Homeschooling is a journey that evolves.

You evolve, your kids evolve, your approach evolves, everything evolves. It’s a thing. We grow.

So lean into not knowing everything, assume you’ll never get it perfectly, and upload those old photos to DropBox because you’ve got more memories to record!

🌟 So I raise my glass to you first-year homeschool mama! You completed your first few months of homeschooling! 🌟

Here’s to remembering every moment (or grab those phones) and here’s to evolving together on this beautiful homeschooling adventure! 🌈📚

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If you’re a new homeschooler, I have a podcast season (& other resources) dedicated to you.

• Homeschool Mama Self-Care Podcast for the New(er) Homeschooler
• Should I Homeschool My Child?
• Encouragement for New Homeschoolers
• Three Things I Wish I Knew Before I Homeschooled
• How to homeschool plan: find fresh ideas, create renewed routines & include kids’ ideas
• 7 Ways to Live your Best Life: Self-Care for Homeschool Moms
• A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Year of Homeschool

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People also ask:

• Get Help with your New Homeschool Year Planning
• Empowering Newbies: Homeschool Mama Self-Care Podcast
• Encouragement for New Homeschoolers
• Get Started Homeschooling 1st Year Guide to a Successful (& Satisfying) Homeschool Journey!
• A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Year of Homeschool
• Do you coach new(er) homeschoolers?

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Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/