Homeschooling Encouragement for Parents

Remember that beautiful homeschool plan you made in August? The carefully chosen curriculum, the schedule that looked completely doable, and the vision of everyone happily getting their work done each day? And then the school year started. In August, we make plans based on what we think our days are going to look like. By October, we have some actual information to work with, which makes this a really good time to stop, take a look at how things are going, and regroup.

We fill our lives with a lot of busyness. In the case of homeschool parents, this can put a lot of pressure on mom and dad to do their best multitasking on a day-to-day basis. You always have a multitude of things to accomplish – not only homeschooling your children, but also cleaning, laundry, cooking, errands, paying bills, making calls, and the list goes on and on. If you weren’t tired before you started homeschooling, you certainly are now! Multitasking can be overwhelming and chaotic if there is not some sort of organization to your days, weeks, or homeschool year.

You have made the decision to homeschool! If you are anything like me, the fear, anxiety, and nerves soon start to weigh on your decision. The self-talk begins to chip away at the resolve over the well-researched, prayed-over, and supported decision you just made. Whether your first child is starting out at kindergarten, you have a student coming out of the public school system, or you have a new student joining your established homeschool routine, this is a new year of education, and we can choose to start strong right out of the gate! Doing so means we approach our new year of homeschooling with goals in mind, a plan established, and the flexibility to evaluate.

Pulling weeds isn’t the most exciting part of gardening, but it always brings me satisfaction. Some weeds come right out while others are stubborn and need a little extra pulling, often with a garden tool. When it has been hot and dry, I might even spray a little water first to make it easier. After weeding, I love admiring my beautiful flowers or hearty vegetable garden. As I relate this to learning, homeschooling has taught me that reluctant learners are like those beautiful flowers and garden plants. Oftentimes they just need the weeds pulled away to blossom and grow.

This time of year often marks the end of the homeschool season for many families. It’s a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and celebrate the skills learned and the relationships strengthened. No matter where you are in your homeschool journey, there are always memories worth holding on to as you reflect on the year behind you.

Do you remember that sinking feeling when you opened your report card and it wasn’t quite what you hoped for? Many homeschool parents feel the same way when reflecting on the school year. It’s easy to fixate on what went wrong — the illnesses that derailed your schedule, the curriculum that took forever, the tears, the struggles, and the moments you felt like you failed. As homeschoolers, we’re quick to grade ourselves harshly on our children’s progress and our own shortcomings. But those “grades” don’t tell the full story. Some of the most important growth can’t be measured with letter grades. Before you set new goals and improvements for the coming year, take time first to count your wins. Celebrate the progress that matters most, even the quiet, unmeasurable ones. Your homeschooling journey this year has been more successful than you might think!

As a homeschool parent, there are a lot of things clamoring for your attention – the kids, the house, the schooling, outside family, work, friends, pets, church, sports, and… you get the idea! Quite frankly, we start carrying more than we can handle and it affects us. When Mama ain’t happy, nobody's happy! Whenever I find myself becoming a grumpy, tired mom, it’s time to look in the mirror and figure out why. What is sucking the life out of me? It’s then that I sit down with pen and paper, remind myself of my priorities, and reset.

Although many homeschooling families start from the very beginning, just as many find themselves homeschooling when that was the last thing they ever saw themselves doing. Maybe you started out sure that your schooling choices would serve your child well, only to be sorely disappointed, again and again. Then came the straw that broke the camel’s back, and you made the call. You pulled your child out mid-year, thinking there had to be a better way. So what do you do now?

With the start of the New Year comes a new chapter in your homeschooling journey! It's a time where many parents stop to think about what their children have accomplished so far and plan for what's ahead. It's also a time where you might wonder if you're doing “enough” in your homeschool. For me, it was the type of question that would pop into my head in the middle of the night, even after a full day of learning and activities. As I tossed and turned in bed I would lie awake and ask myself: “Am I doing enough?”

Homeschooling during the holidays doesn’t need to be stressful. It can be a joyful time if you adapt your schedule and mindset to focus on making wonderful memories while still learning. Putting in a little thought ahead of time will save you from feeling overwhelmed so you can still have productive school time while also enjoying the magic of the holidays. With careful planning and a healthy mindset, you can enjoy this special time of year without all the stress.