When I was seven, the very thought of reading gave me severe anxiety. 

This would probably shock anyone who knows me today because,  as an adult, I’m a total bibliophile. I have way too many books and am reading anytime I get a chance. I even have a (somewhat impractical) MA in English.  As much as reading was once a source of dread for me, it is now one of the things I enjoy most.

 The love of reading has shaped so many other things about my life, too. It’s helped me understand different kinds of people and different ways of thinking, and it’s given me a love for learning that I can’t envision possessing, had my childhood self not changed her ways. 

So what caused the big change? What turned me into a reader? 

It all started with my parents’ decision to homeschool me. 

My mom knew that I loved being read to, so she believed that I could become someone who loved to read for myself. She also saw how my struggle with ADD impacted my learning style. Taking these things into account, her efforts to help me engage in reading through homeschooling were totally successful. This, in turn, has made all the difference in my life. 

Today, as a new homeschooling parent,  I hope to be as successful in teaching my daughter as my mom was with me. However, the task feels intimidating. I imagine that it is even more overwhelming to those who are totally new to the world of homeschooling. 

Interestingly, the reason that homeschooling can be so overwhelming is the same reason it is so appealing in the first place. There is such an incredible amount of freedom and flexibility in this form of education. It’s wonderful to have so many choices and be able to personalize learning for your child. However, for many, it’s hard to know how to start homeschooling because there seems to be no set way to do it.

There can be a constant internal stream of blaring questions and insecurities, like: 

• Am I going to mess my child up by this decision? 

• What will my family and friends think? 

• Is this really going to help him/her learn more effectively? 

• Is my child going to be miserable?

• Am I going to be miserable? 

• I’m not qualified to teach.

• I don’t know where to begin.

If you are a new homeschooling parent and have these doubts running through your brain, you’re in the right place.  In this article, I’m not going to tell you how to homeschool, or even whether you should homeschool (because no one knows your life and your family better than you do). Instead, I want to share with you 5 essential tips that will help you get you started on your own, personal homeschooling journey. 

1. Understand Your “Why.”

“Finding your why,” is a hot topic of discussion today, whether you are starting a new business, pursuing a change of career, or making any kind of life-changing decision.

Your “why” is more than just a goal or even a set of goals. It’s the reason that directs your path, as well as the force that keeps you powering onward.

Choosing to homeschool is a major life decision that affects both homeschooling parents as well as our children.  It definitely comes with its own challenges: from the personal (will you and your children clash in an educational setting?) to financial (often, the choice to homeschool affects at least one parent’s career). It’s therefore absolutely critical to map out your “why” as you get ready to start homeschooling.

The Foundation

Despite the many different ways to homeschool successfully, I think that most homeschooling parents start out with a similar mindset.

1. The basic belief: we, as parents, know our children better than anyone and are also more committed than anyone to give them the best educational experience to meet their needs.
2. The basic goal: to engage our children in learning in a way that fosters their academic and personal growth to the greatest extent possible.

I think this is really at the heart of every homeschooling parent’s reason for choosing this lifestyle.

But is it a “why?”

Well…not quite. However, it can be an important starting place for discovering your why.

Four Elements of Your “Why”

This article in Forbes discusses the importance of figuring out your “why”  in the realm of business, highlighting four questions that you can ask yourself to discover it. These four questions relate to the following:

• Passions
• Skills and Expertise 
• Values 
• Talents

As a new homeschooling parent,  you can also look at your approach to homeschooling in light of these four areas.  Grab a notebook and write down your goals for homeschooling in light of each topic. How do you plan to consider your/ and your child’s: passions, skills, values, and talents in your homeschool journey? Brainstorming about this will help you define your specific why and begin to set practical goals.

I would also look at this list in consideration of the child (or children) being homeschooled:

•  Strengths (and weaknesses to be overcome)
• Talents or interests
• Social Needs 
• What values does the child already have?
• What values would you, as a parent, like to instill?

2. Apply Your “Why.”

Considering all of these factors will help you understand your why and how it may be applied in a homeschool setting. Once you’ve evaluated your passions, strengths, and potential challenges in homeschooling, you should be able to define your why in a more practical way and think about how you will meet your goals.

From looking back on my personal experience as a homeschooler, I am able to clearly see my mom’s why: to foster a love of reading in me. This would, in turn, support me as a student in every subject.  As a creative person, she used her skillset to engage me in books through using art projects and crafts that related to the stories we were reading. She also brought my interests into the equation by selecting novels that she knew I would like.

You see how it all begins to connect?

Each homeschool family’s “why” is going to look different, but once you’ve figured yours out, it should give you some clear priorities in your homeschooling journey, and some ideas about how you will invest in those priorities.

Especially if you write everything down, this can be a great first step in mapping out your homeschool journey.

Two Examples of “Whys” and Practical Applications

A very organized homeschooling parent has a child with an interest in social activities, space, and science.

• That homeschool parent’s “why” might be to invest in their child’s love of science and give them opportunities they might not have in public school, while also meeting that child’s social needs.
• A practical application for that parent might be to foster their child’s love of science through organizing a homeschool science club that gets to do things like go on weekly field trips or take a road trip to one of the nation’s space centers.

A homeschooling parent is skilled in the kitchen and values creativity.  That parent has a child who is a talented artist but struggles in math.

•  The “why” in this situation might be the homeschool parent’s desire to cultivate a creative learning environment that engages the student in math and allows him/her more time and opportunities to pursue an interest in art.
• A practical application would be to use a creative means, like baking or cooking, to engage the student in math. Additionally, the parent could make the child’s interest and skills in art a priority by investing in private art classes and/or professional online courses such as those that are offered by Sparketh.

3. Find Your Tribe.

So now you hopefully better understand the driving “why” behind your decision to homeschool and have some ideas about how you will keep your “why” central in your homeschooling journey.  You may feel excited to get started, but there’s a chance you may also feel a little bit afraid.

The potential time commitment involved may be scary for one thing, especially if you work in addition to homeschooling.  Likewise, the financial investment may seem frightening if you’ve given up a job to commit to homeschooling.  Another looming factor is the dreaded “mom guilt:” the prominent cultural phenomenon of feeling like you are constantly letting your kids down in some critical way, no matter how hard you try.  Unfortunately, the duel responsibility of parenting + schooling can mean that this “parental guilt” can be doubly strong in homeschooling moms (and homeschooling dads, too!)

However, one really important thing for homeschool parents to keep in mind when facing inevitable moments of guilt and uncertainty is this: you are not alone.

A well-known African proverb states that: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Many people think that this concept favors a public school education. In reality, every successful homeschooling family has its own village, made up of members who have been intentionally and thoughtfully chosen for their ability to support, mentor and educate.

There are several different places you can look at when finding the tribe (or village) that will help you and your family succeed in your homeschool journey. Here are just a few of them!

Family

Your own family can be a built-in network of support as you get started with homeschooling.  Consider calling upon family members to share their knowledge of special topics,  come along on field trips or road trips, or provide childcare if you need some extra time to lesson-plan.

Online Communities

Online communities can also be a valuable resource for parents who are just getting started.  There are a lot of homeschool parent groups on Website forums and on social media platforms like Facebook. These can be a great source of emotional and practical support. There are also many communities online for homeschool students!  When searching for a supportive online community, try looking for groups that share your (or your children’s) values and interests.

Online Learning

Another concern when homeschooling is, of course, what to do if you feel incapable of teaching your child in a particular subject?  Online learning and online teachers can be one valuable resource in this situation.

Online courses can be great for laying down the groundwork of an academic subject that homeschool parents may struggle with.  Parents are then free to add to learning via engaging supplement activities! Plus, a lot of online learning resources come with built-in communities for students and parents!  This article gives some great tips about how to utilize online learning effectively. 

You can find more than basic academic instruction online, too. For example, Sparketh offers unlimited access to high-quality, online art classes via video-instruction by real artists.  All of these art courses could be available to your homeschooled student. As someone who lives in a rural area, this is definitely the kind of resource that I value!

Extracurricular Activities

When I was a homeschooler, I took ballet classes most nights of the week. I even taught some morning classes to the youngest dancers to help pay for my own classes. In addition to helping me pursue one of my passions, this also taught me responsibility. One of the best things about a homeschool lifestyle is that it allows students to more fully explore their passions and interests and get a lot of real life experiences, too!

Extracurricular activities also allow homeschooling parents and homeschooling students to connect with others who share some of the same interests and values. Try to get to know people you meet through extracurricular involvement such as sports, the arts, or church. These people can be awesome friends and mentors that add enrichment to your family’s homeschool experience and to your life, as well.

Homeschool Co-ops

Co-ops allow you to connect with other homeschooling families in your area! These groups can be a great way to help share the load of teaching (many co-ops offer classes taught by homeschool parents who are strong in a particular academic area) and also for you, the homeschooling parent, to find a network (tribe) who gets your “why.”  This is also a great option for giving your homeschooled child (or children) an additional social outlet.  If you are new to homeschooling, you may be surprised to find that there is a homeschool co-op in your area that you were never aware of before!

4. Plan your Homeschool Lifestyle

If you’re reading this, then you’ve already begun this step! Research is key when starting any new and unfamiliar endeavor, and transitioning to the homeschool life is no different. It’s important for you to enter the situation with a clear idea of how you envision your homeschool lifestyle.  (If you go into homeschooling without this idea in place, the kids are going to run the school). Here are some topics you might want to consider.

• Different Homeschooling Methods: while there are many different ways to homeschool successfully, these 10 methods are some of the most common. Read them and think about which one seems like the best fit for you and your child/children.
• Daily Schedule: Are you a night person or morning person? How about your child/children? Since you don’t have to be anywhere at 8 a.m. you get to make up the rules. Many homeschool families do chores, errands, and extracurriculars in the morning, starting school after lunch. Some let their children sleep until they naturally wake up, then get started on school. Others follow a more traditional schedule. Whatever your method, you may want to assert it from the beginning.
•  Role Models:  Connect with homeschool parents who demonstrate the kind of instruction style/lifestyle that you’d like to have.  You will likely meet these people at co-ops or even in your homeschool online communities.  Don’t be scared to reach out to some of the homeschool parents you admire. You may be surprised how often they are happy to help or offer tips.
• Learn about Some Amazing Homeschoolers: From science prodigies to famous athletes, there are some truly amazing individuals who credit homeschooling with at least part of their success. Learning about some of these amazing homeschoolers will encourage you and help inspire your child/children (Here are a few to get you started).

5. Trust Yourself.

In planning your transition to homeschooling, it’s crucial that you trust yourself. You’ve made the decision to homeschool, at least in part, with the belief that you know your child/children and what they need better than anyone else. While it can be tempting to let the doubt creep in, remind yourself of the reasons you chose this path to begin with.

If you find that your confidence levels are still a little low, it might help you to read some of these research facts about homeschoolers and homeschool learning outcomes.

 Highlights from the Above Resource:

• Homeschool students consistently score higher than public school students on standardized tests.
• On average, homeschoolers also score higher on the SAT and ACT.
• Homeschoolers typically ranked above average on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development.
• Research indicates that girls who are homeschooled demonstrate a greater sense of self in their teen years.
• Homeschooled students attend and complete college at an equal or higher rate than the general population.
• As adults, homeschooled individuals are more likely to serve their community than their non-homeschooled peers.

And finally…

• All of this has nothing to do with whether or not the homeschool parents were ever certified teachers, with either parent’s level of education, or with the family’s income.

Even if you question your own background and abilities, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be successful. If you believe that homeschooling is the right choice for you and your child… trust yourself!

As you start your homeschool journey, remember to define and apply your “why,” to find a tribe that will support you, to plan your homeschool lifestyle and to trust yourself and your unique homeschool journey.  Best wishes, new homeschooling parents!  

Do you have additional tips for new homeschooling parents? Feel free to leave them in the comments below! 

The post 5 Essential Tips for New Homeschooling Parents appeared first on Sparketh.

I have one child that is homeschooled, and I work from home, and some days it feels like a real juggling act. But when I think about the prospect of homeschooling multiple kids – maybe even toddlers and teens – together? That just seems hard. It seems really hard.

Some of you know all about this, first hand, whether you’ve been homeschooling for awhile or are brand new to it.

Still, even though thinking about homeschooling differently-aged kids is intimidating, it also makes me realize something:  I’ve known a whole lot of big homeschooling families with kids ranging from 0 – 18. Some of them had as many as 10 children. And in many more cases than not, those children grew up into kind, intelligent, happy adults.

It can be done, and it can be done well. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it can even be really fun and rewarding.

In today’s post, I’m going to dive into the question of HOW. How do those super successful homeschooling parents of multiple children do it? And, if you are homeschooling multiple children of different ages, how can you can do it, too?

“Now wait,” you might be thinking, “she said she just had one child.” Yep, that’s accurate. That’s why I reached out to my homeschooling friends and homeschooling communities to find some help with this one. All of these tips come from veteran homeschooling parents who successfully raised and taught multiple kids of different ages. Here are some of the amazing life-hacks that they shared (I was surprised by how often tips overlapped!)

1. Plan and Prioritize Your Time

One of the main tips I received for homeschooling children of different ages was to be intentional with how you organize your time. This involves finding that perfect balance for your family with regards to active teaching time, independent studies, and quality time. Below, you’ll find some more specific insights into this one.

Balance Active Teaching Time with Independent Activities

Sometimes you will need uninterrupted sections of time when you can “actively teach,” (AKA sit down with your child and explain new concepts, demonstrate examples, etc.) Because it’s just not possible to actively teach addition and algebra at the same time (for instance), you’ll need to decide when you are going to actively teach each child and what other children will be doing at that time. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you do this:

• You don’t have to mimic a public school schedule by spending a full hour with each age group, on each subject. Instead, focus on using your “active teaching time”  wisely, introducing difficult new material and concepts in a one-on-one way.  Often, when the instruction is personal and one-on-one, active teaching doesn’t take nearly as long as it would in a large classroom setting.

• Have assignments ready that different children can work on independently. Whether it’s a review activity, a reading or writing assignment, or a creative project that you know your child will enjoy, have some things prepared that you can let one child (or age group) work on independently when you are otherwise engaged.

• Plan for the littlest ones.  Many homeschooling families also have very young toddlers or infants in the mix who require extra attention. One way to prep for this is by spending intentional quality time with your little ones before you start your homeschool day. When infants and toddlers get good quality time, they tend to be calmer the rest of the day. However, if they feel ignored or uninvolved, they may get stressed and cranky. Research indicates that, when it comes to one-on-one time, quality is even more important than quantity  For this reason, many homeschooling parents find it works best to commit to spending some quality time with little ones first thing in the morning. Also, anyone with an infant will tell you that you have to be willing to be flexible. If you are starting to homeschool with a baby in the house, have some extra independent activities ready for the older kids to do–just in case chaos strikes.  These tips for homeschooling with an infant are also really helpful!

• Find the balance between flexibility and consistency.  I know that I just said that having a really young child in the house can unexpectedly turn your homeschool day on its head. And it’s true that kids (no matter their age) have a way of throwing some chaotic curveballs that you couldn’t have planned for. However, the most important way that you can be consistent is in letting your kids know that you have a course of action for how things are going to work in your homeschool: What do they need to work on independently? When do they need help from you? What do they do if the baby needs you suddenly and it takes 45 minutes before you can resume what you were doing?  Have a plan of action laid out for these things ahead of time, so that your kids know the expectations.

2. Prepare some activities specifically for young children to play with during older children’s school time.

I received this tip from pretty much every homeschooling veteran I talked to on this topic. A lot of people refer to these as “busy boxes” or “busy bags.”  The basic premise is this: when you are working with older kids and have young children (old enough to toddle and up), give them something special to play with that they can’t access at any other time. It’s simple, but brilliant and effective.  Assuming that the toys or activities in the box/bag are educational, you can even call this their “school time.”  Below are a couple of specific things you may want to try.

Encourage them to learn through sensory play. 

For very young kids, exploring the world via the various senses is definitely fun AND educational!  Did you know that sensory play actually helps develop fine motor skills and language skills? You can give your younger children a chance to learn independently by providing them with special “school time” sensory activities while you actively teach older children.  Here are some ideas that make great sensory play items:

• Kinetic Sand
• Playdough
• Boxes full of different shapes/colors of pasta
• A box with rocks and shells to sort by color, shape, size, etc.

Create a special toy box or bag.

Another idea here is simply to keep a special box of toys on reserve solely for when you are actively teaching older kids. Before long, your young children will learn that this box/bag is special. Because their time with it is so limited, it can keep them busier than you might expect. You could even have your child help decorate the special box or bag that the “school toys” go into.

Make them a part of “your school.” 

Young children want to be part of whatever the big kids are doing.  Therefore, let them feel like they are part of the homeschool group.   Think your child is too young to homeschool? While  you may be right that your toddler is too young for formal lessons and worksheets, they are truly learning all the time at this age.  This article goes into this topic a bit more deeply.  Children also simply love to feel included, so include them in your homeschool! (Bonus: if you are associating school with play and inclusion, you are already giving them positive connections to the word “school!”)

3. Incorporate Fun, Independent Activities for Older Children, Too.

If you have young children that you are beginning to actively teach, you can likewise pull out fun, independent learning activities for older children (the older kid’s equivalent to a special toy box). One of the awesome things about homeschooling older children is seeing older children begin to take ownership of their learning and be more independent.  I mentioned that using review activities, reading or writing can be a good options to pull out for independent work, but you can also include some less conventional choices, such as:

Enroll your older child in an online course (or courses). 

Especially if you have a self-motivated child on your hands, quality online learning can be an awesome resource for you both. In addition (or instead) of using online learning for basic academics, you could also consider enrolling your child in an online course that teaches something creative. For instance, Sparketh offers numerous online art courses featuring talented instructors. Homeschooled students who enroll can take high-quality art classes at home, anytime! This would be an awesome instructional resource, as well as a lot of fun, for a homeschooling student with an interest in the arts.

Use movies to your advantage. 

Not that you want to do this all the time, but movies can be a fun and informative way to reinforce learning. Everyone loves a movie break, right? Allow your older child or teen to watch the movie after they read the novel (you could even have them write about the differences), or watch a sci-fi movie based on principals you’ve studied in science. You could even microwave some popcorn and make it a fun family activity!

Have fun with creative projects. 

Once they start getting older, a lot of homeschooled children really enjoy working on creative projects (either independently or with friends). Creative projects are perfect to assign once a basic concept has been mastered because it allows them to synthesize the information and present it  in a personal and creative way. I wrote a bit about creative projects and learning styles. Here are some ideas for creative projects your older student might enjoy working on independently:

• Designing a collage or movie poster based on a book.
• Writing and illustrating a comic strip that explains a scientific/mathematical concept.
• Making a serious, documentary-style video (or a less serious, documentary style video) about a historical event.
• Writing a script, acting out and filming a skit in a foreign language you are studying.

Get involved in a Co-Op/ Extracurricular Activity

I’ve talked about the importance of finding your tribe here, and co-ops and extracurricular activities are a vital way to keep your homeschool environment interesting, active and diverse! While children of all ages can enjoy learning in co-ops and through extracurricular activities, older children often take ownership of these types of activities for themselves. It can really help them start to figure out who they are and what they’re interested in. Also, the time older children spend learning at co-ops or through extracurricular activities can give you more active teaching time/quality time with your younger children.

4. Consider Making a Designated Space (or Spaces) for Your Homeschool

Personally, I love that you can homeschool anywhere: the park, the beach, the car. A lot of homeschool families enjoy the fact that you can literally take your school with you, anywhere. Plenty of homeschoolers work also successfully from the living room couch, the dining room table, or their individual bedrooms. However, there is also something to be said for having a designated homeschooling space in your home. Many of the larger homeschool families I know particularly love their homeschool rooms/areas because:

• Everyone is wrangled up within plain sight.

• Different areas can be designated for different ages (including a play area for little ones.)

• You can also create different areas for different subjects or activities.

• Your multitude of homeschooling resources in one accessible, semi-organized location.

• It gives you the opportunity to create a visual look and feel for your “homeschool vibe.”

• Some students truly do focus better when they have a designated space for “work mode,” within the home.

Are you now trying to figure out how you’ll transform a part of your home into a designated homeschool space? This article has some amazing ideas for how to make the most of the space you have, from a large room to a corner of the living room! You can also get some really fun inspiration for different types of homeschool rooms, here.

5. Seize Opportunities to Include Everyone

We’ve talked about how you will spend portions of your homeschool day working with each child (or age/grade level) individually. Fortunately, you will also spend a lot of time together, having fun and learning as a family. Most of the homeschooling families I know, especially the large ones, love the way that homeschooling allows their family to learn to work as a team.

Many homeschooling parents are able to use family teamwork to help illustrate the kind of morals and principals that they hope to instill in their children. (Being able to shape moral development is actually one of the top reasons parents choose to homeschool!) Here are a few of the many ways that you can include everyone simultaneously in your homeschool, regardless of age or grade level.

Learn together. 

When you can, teach the same basic concept to differently-aged children at the same time, but assign different tasks to demonstrate learning. For instance, a science experiment could be a great opportunities to explain a concept (maybe at a couple of different levels), and introduce vocabulary and new information. However, you might ask a young child to draw a picture of the event or talk about it with you, whereas you might ask an older child to write a short essay about or do a creative project on it. Science, history and creative extracurriculars offer great opportunities for learning together.

Take Field Trips Whenever You Can.

Field trips are great for learning as well as for making fun memories together as a family. Nature hikes, zoos, aquariums, children’s museums, art galleries and culturally/historically significant places all present great opportunities to learn about the world around us.  Many museums and learning centers also offer educational activities for all ages.

Let Older Students Work with Younger Students

Though it may not be something you want to do all the time, you can also occasionally involve your older children in helping your younger children learn. You have to know a subject really well to teach it, so this can be a good way to reinforce learning as well as to foster helpful attitudes within your family. Of course, you’ll want to use this one at your own discretion–it works better for some families than others!

Learn Through Everyday Tasks.

Mundane “grown-up” tasks can be exciting and educational for kids of all ages, and kids usually loved to be involved in whatever you’re doing. Use everyday tasks as teaching tools for different ages and academic levels. For instance, when baking brownies, get your younger children to count out measurements. For older children, use this activity for multiplication practice (“if I cut each of these three brownie pieces into three smaller pieces, how many brownies will I have?”)   By including these sorts of activities in your homeschool, you are also teaching children (of any age) life skills that will come in handy, later! When your kids are able to learn by helping you do everyday tasks, it’s a win-win for everyone!

I want to thank the homeschooling parents who chimed in to contribute their life-hacks for this article. Hopefully, some of these ideas help make your life easier if you are homeschooling several different children of different ages! Do you have additional tips to offer? Let us know!

Written by Kathryn Gustafson

The post How to (Successfully) Homeschool Children of Different Ages appeared first on Sparketh.

If you’ve been asked this (and I’m guessing you probably have), you may have responded with something like the following:

“Homeschooling is an amazing opportunity! “

or

“You get to have an active role in your kids’ learning and lives. ”

or

“The ability to personalize your kids’ education is amazing!”

Is all of this true? Definitely. Homeschooling can be wonderful.

But, is homeschooling stressful?

Yes, it definitely can be that, too!

In fact, homeschooling can be incredibly stressful. Balancing home and education has its own unique variety of pitfalls: bad attitudes and dynamics, different learning styles and needs, and the various demands of work/school/living all tangled up under the same roof. Every homeschooling parent has bad days (or weeks, or months). If you are struggling with a stressful homeschool experience, these 10 strategies can help you figure out how to tame some of the tension.

1. Change Up Your Schedule

The first and biggest thing I’d suggest doing if you are having a stressful time with homeschooling? Change your schedule. Stress often reflects our attempt to force something to work that simply isn’t clicking right. Often, the thing that isn’t working is our schedules. For a more in-depth discussion of re-working the homeschool schedule, check out this article: Is Your Homeschool Schedule NOT Working?

For now, here are some examples of tweaks you could make to your schedule:

• Start your homeschool day differently. For instance, maybe start with exercise or independent reading instead of diving straight into workbooks.
• Try night schooling. Especially if your homeschool family has two working parents, or your children are night owls, doing school in the evening may be helpful change for your lifestyle.
• Take more breaks throughout the day. Do something physical, creative (or just relaxing) if your day feels like it needs a break.
• Take a day “off” every now and then. If you have a busy school day of extracurricular activities, considering taking that day “off” of school and making up for it another day during the week (even during the weekend).
• Plan more field trips!

Regardless of whether you are having stressful homeschool day (or a stressful month or year), changing up your schedule can provide a little bit of instant relief because it’s a bit of a “vacation from normal.”  However, if your homeschool has been stressing you out for awhile now, make sure you give any major schedule changes at least a few weeks to see if they are truly helpful.

2. Set Smaller Goals and Use a Reward System

Even for adults, it can be really hard to keep plodding along in our work with no breaks in sight. No matter your age, it helps to know that you can complete the task at hand. Then, when you do so, you’ll feel so much more successful and capable of handling the next task.  Each success nourishes the next and helps positive attitudes to grow.

If you are dealing with a lot of stress and frustration from an overwhelmed homeschooled student (which is probably also stressing you out) then it may help to set some smaller, more attainable goals.

This is especially true for subjects that don’t come easy to that student.  For instance, if one of the reasons you decided to homeschool your child was because she struggles in math, then this might be a subject for which you set some smaller goals.  Check out the below example of smaller goals you could set in this situation!

Examples of Small Goals for a Student Studying a New Math Concept:

1. Memorization/ ability to  discuss the concept.
2. Can follow along with the example problem and explain it to you.
3. Solve problem, using the new concept, with help from you.
4.  Walk you through a problem that uses the new concept by telling you each step.
5. Independent and succession completion of problem/s using the  new concept.

Everyone likes to hear that they are on the right track. Another benefit of setting smaller goals is that it gives you more opportunities as a homeschooling parent to acknowledge the hard work your kids are putting in and the progress they are making!

Finding a Reward System that Works for You:

While words of praise are great, sometimes another type of reward system can encourage your child to work harder and with a better attitude. Reward systems, especially if they are used consistently, can also provide some structure to your homeschool.

I don’t mean you have to bribe your child with money or anything like that (I mean, you can. Let me know how that goes, will you?)

However, if you really need to motivate a student to work towards a goal, establishing a reward system can be a great help.

Personally, I think that the best reward systems have two parts. Firstly, they reward the child’s small, bite-sized successes. Secondly, they continue to motivate the child to strive to complete a bigger, overcharging goal/reward.

For example, with my young daughter, my husband came up with the idea of using pirate coins and a treasure chest.

At the beginning of each day, she gets a list of a few tangible, achievable goals. She receives verbal praise every time she completes something on the list.

When she completes the entire list, she gets a pirate coin.

Every Saturday, she has the option of buying something from our homemade “treasure chest,” with her pirate coins. Right now, while she’s little, its full of small toys. As she gets older, we’ll probably add special privileges and things that fit her age.

For a teen, maybe your reward system looks as simple as: “When you finish all your school by noon, you get videogame time.”

No matter what kind of reward system you choose to create, the point is to find ways to positively reinforce your child’s successes and to do so in a consistent way. This can help de-stress your homeschool by adding structure and encouragement to small, everyday tasks.

3. Exercise

We all know that exercise is good for our bodies, but it’s also amazing for our mental and emotional health! The endorphins you release when exercising can offer a mood boost and increased concentration… which might be just what you need to de-stress your homeschool environment. Exercise can also be a bonding activity for both you and your child/children!

If you don’t already, consider integrating a form of exercise into your homeschool day.  You can use it as a ritual to start the morning in a good mood, to relax at the end of the day, or to take a much needed break in the middle of study time. Here are a few ideas for how to integrate some exercise into your homeschool day.

• Walking or running together is a great practice to do as a family. It’s also free and you can take it with you anywhere!
• Yoga is a wonderful choice to help you (and/or your children) de-stress and refocus. Thanks to the many wonderful yoga instructors on Youtube, you can often find great routines to do in your living room (at no cost). Some yoga workouts are only a few minutes long, which makes them perfect for a little “brain break.”
• Biking is a perfect family activity as well. If your family likes to travel, you can also make biking tours a part of your homeschool culture.
• Dance breaks are one of my personal favorites ways to insert some exercise right in the middle of an ordinary school/work day. Dancing is perfect to pull out for a brain break, or to shake things up in everyone is in kind of a funk.
• Sports are a great way to help your homeschooler make friends, get excess energy out and learn about working with a team. Check with your local recreation center to see if they have a good option to get your child moving and having fun. Often, they offer a huge variety of activities and teams in which your child (or children) can get involved!

4. Get Creative

Like exercise,  creative activities can help elevate moods and minimize stress! The process of creating art has many benefits for critical thinking skills and for mental/emotional health, as well.

There are also many, many ways to incorporate art or creativity into your homeschool. For instance, you could sign up for membership with with Sparketh, which would give your family 2 student accounts with unlimited classes to share and learn from. You could also consider using creative projects more frequently in courses like English or history. It’s amazing what a difference a little bit of creativity can make in a stressful environment!

5. Delegate

One of the reasons homeschooling can get stressful is because of the pressure that the primary homeschooling parent may feel. Full-time parenting can be hard enough, but homeschooling adds a whole extra load of responsibilities to the mix. If you feel like a slave to homeschooling, then it can definitely take the joy out of your journey.  And when the teacher is always stressed and resentful, then chances are the kids will start feeling that way, too.

There’s nothing unusual about feeling this way some days, but if the sense of sole-responsibility is a constant stressor in your life, the most logical thing to do is share some of that responsibility with others.  Maybe it’s time to let go of some control and delegate some of the teaching responsibilities in one (or more) of the following ways:

•  Get your spouse involved.

In two-parent homes it seems more common than not that the task of homeschooling falls to one parent…and that is usually (though not always) that parent is the mom. And then, once curriculum and routines have been established, it can be kind of hard for the dad to get involved (even if he really wants to.)  If this sounds like your family, and you’d like it to change, sit down with your spouse and brainstorm some easy ways to hand over some control. It could be something as simple as letting dad playing some educational games with the kids in the evening, or take over teaching his favorite subject. This may throw a wrench into the rhythm of your day for awhile, but it can definitely relieve some pressure and help your family feel more cohesive in the long term.

•  Call on extended family.

Are you close with your extended family? You don’t have to ask grandparents, aunts or uncles to teach lesson plans or grade papers (though you might be able to). However, you can definitely ask for their help in less direct ways. Maybe someone in your family could watch your kids while you work on lesson plans, or drive your daughter to her music lesson, or be a “guest lecturer” about a particular topic. There are a lot of indirect ways to ask for homeschooling help, and your extended family might be more willing than you know!

•  Get Online

From these online art tracks designed for homeschoolers, to upper level academic courses offered by sources like Abeka, there are a lot of ways to enhance your homeschool (and delegate some of the responsibility of teaching) through quality internet resources.

6. Let Your Older Children Help the Younger Ones

By asking your older children to help work with younger children every once in awhile, you are giving the older children a chance to review and practice their communication/instruction following skills, in addition to helping the little ones learn. This might not work for every family, but it has worked really well for a lot of families that I know. If you have children with a large age gap, it’s worth a try! Also, if you’re looking for more ideas on how to homeschool children of very different ages, check out this whole article on the topic here (it contains a collection of tips on this topic from veteran homeschooling parents).

7. Loosen the Reins

If you have a student who is upper elementary or older, he or she might be ready to start doing more independent learning. Most homeschooling curriculum is at least somewhat self-guided. Consider loosening the reigns a little bit for your older learner/s and see how they do with a bit of independence. You may have to help them get into the swing of independent learning and keep them accountable, especially at first. And you’ll still need to work with them on trouble areas, etc. However, switching over to more independent learning is a great thing to do when your homeschooler/s start getting older. Self-discipline is also a valuable skill, which many homeschoolers are able to learn through independent learning!

Note: Looking for more specific ideas on delegation? check out the “find your tribe” section of  5 Tips for New Homeschooling Parents.

8. Change the Atmosphere

You live at home. You school at home. Sometimes you just need to get out of house. If you are looking for ways to de-stress your homeschool environment, it may be as simple as changing the atmosphere.

Sometimes this is as simple as going outside. Take some flashcards and a few books. Grab an old blanket.  Regularly getting some sunshine can easily become a beneficial part of your homeschool routine.

Sometimes  going to a completely different physical location can also help you get into “work mode.”  This is as true for adults (homeschool teachers) as it is for kids (homeschoolers).

For instance, my mama-in-law (AKA my Homeschool Mentor) recently told me that she loved to go to the coffee shop or library for school time because, in addition to helping the kids refocus,  it also made it easier for her to self-study and to get lesson planning done (away from household distractions)

As a work-from-home mom living in a super-old farmhouse, I can also attest that it can  be tough to focus when there are a million things constantly demanding attention at home. Getting a change of scenery can be good for everyone! While you may not be able to go somewhere else every day, consider heading outside or to a different location at least once a week.

9. Claim a Quiet Time

Do you ever just think your homeschool would be a little less stressful if you had some quiet time to think?

My first job out of college involved teaching a classroom of energetic young boys with learning differences. It was a really fun teaching job, but it was stressful.  There was also a lot of noise.

About halfway through my first year of teaching, I realized that we all needed some quiet time on a regular basis. I started setting a 30 minute timer after lunch and claiming it as “reading time.” Each of the boys had a box of fun books they were interested in, and they were free to take that box and claim a spot in the classroom (could be in the reading area, at their desk, under their desk, wherever). Sometimes we would even make a reading fort or something.

And I  would read, too (although for the first several times we did this I was honestly monitoring them more than reading). However, we found our rhythm much more quickly than you might think, and “quiet time/reading time” became something that everyone looked forward to. Now, did the kids in my class always read super educational stuff? Nope, definitely not. This was the time to engage fully in the powers of Captain Underpants or whatever else they wanted: a time to enjoy reading what they liked (which I think is really important for kids).

And it was quiet, which I think can be really important for everyone’s sanity, sometimes!

10. Stay Positive And Think Big Picture

It can be too easy to focus on how things have gone wrong, especially when we are feeling stressed out or incapable. In homeschooling, the stressful days can make you doubt your choice to homeschool in the first place!

Sure, there might be things you need to do differently with homeschooling. However, it’s equally important to recognize the many things that you are doing right.  Try making a daily list of the positives:

• What has  your child learned: academically, developmentally, emotionally?
• Where did you see progress?
• Did you discover something that needs to be addressed that would have been overlooked in a larger classroom?
• What are some things you are grateful for about homeschooling today?
• Did you get to help your children discover more about who they will be?
• Did you get to travel together or try something new together?

Ultimately, a bad day in homeschooling just that: one bad day. Tomorrow always offers the chance to try again and make changes.  Looking back at your “why” for homeschooling, in addition to noting the positives,  may also help you gain some perspective. Thinking about that “why” may help you see the “big picture value” of what you’re doing!

I realize that staying positive is easier advice to give than to take. However, being able to look for the good is truly valuable. In homeschooling, it can also help you figure out what you need to keep doing right!

The post Is Homeschooling Stressing You Out? These 10 Strategies Can Help. appeared first on Sparketh.