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How to Homeschool from Peace
Making the decision to homeschool may feel like the hard part of your homeschool journey, but it doesn’t end there. Taking on the responsibility of facilitating your child’s education may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to steal your peace. There are ways you can homeschool from peace. (Read: Common Reasons People Choose to Homeschool)
We made the decision to homeschool our children very early on. The thought of sending them to public school made me feel ill. I attended public school, and while my experience wasn’t horrible, I knew I wanted something different for our children.
The decision to homeschool was the easy part for me. Throughout the years, we have had ups and downs, and even a couple of times where I have felt like throwing in the towel and enrolling my children in the public school system. But then, after a break, I realized that’s not what was best for our children or family.
Where your child learns is a personal decision. Homeschool is not for everyone, just like public school is not for everyone.
But if you have made the decision to homeschool, there are ways you can do it while still maintaining a peaceful home and heart.
Here is what I have learned about homeschooling from Peace in the past 4 years.
Don’t try to recreate the public-school atmosphere and classroom.
Chances are one of the reasons you chose to homeschool your child is that is that you don’t want to send them to public school to be around that atmosphere. So why do so many homeschool moms and parents find themselves trying to re-create the public-school atmosphere in the classroom when they decide to homeschool?
I believe we feel this immense pressure that we have to do it a certain way. But here’s the thing you do not have to homeschool your child a certain way. That is the beauty of homeschooling. You can create the learning atmosphere that is just right for your children that they will thrive in.
So instead of trying to re-create a classroom atmosphere for your child figure out how your child learns best. Do they need the desk and the book work? Or do they learn most by hands on learning? Whatever it may be tailor your home school atmosphere affects your child’s learning style.
Take time to figure out your child’s learning style and your teaching style.
That brings me to my next point.
Take the time to figure out what your child learning style is an hour do you have figured out what your child’s learning style is figure out what your teaching style is.
Your child’s learning style is the most important way to measure how your child learns, how you should be setting up the atmosphere, and what and how your child is learning in their home school. However, your teaching style is also a very important factor that can be used to your advantage while teaching your children. What do I mean by learning style? People learn in different ways. Children are no exception. There are four different learning styles. They are:
- Kinesthetic
- Visual
- Auditory
- Reading/writing
Figuring out what way your child learns best can be very beneficial in your home school. There are great tests that you can take online to see which learning style your child might be using. However, you can also learn what style your child is using by observing how they learn best.
Don’t be afraid to switch curriculum.
We have switched curriculum a couple of times. The first curriculum we switched was because my daughter did not love it, and she was not learning and thriving the way I knew she could with this curriculum. Even though I loved this curriculum, I knew it was time to switch. We switched after her kindergarten year.
We also switched midyear when we saw a curriculum was not working out and helping her the way she needed.
Don’t be afraid to switch curriculum. Remember that the curriculum is just a tool that you are using. It is not what makes your home school. Do you want to use it to help you? Do not try to mold your child into fitting into a specific curriculum because it’s what other people are using or what everyone says you should be using.
Remember that it is OK not to finish everything in the day, week, or even year.
Sometimes, I feel immense pressure to finish certain things in one day. I have to make it a priority to remind myself that we do not have to finish everything in one day. We can come back to it. We don’t even have to finish everything in one week or even one year. It is absolutely OK to take breaks and stop when you or your child is feeling overwhelmed. Did you know that even the public school classrooms don’t finish all their curriculum in a given year? So, why do you have to?
Create a loop schedule.
Have you ever heard of a loop schedule? A loop schedule is a great way to fit in the extras that you know your child needs to cover or that they want to cover, but you just can’t seem to find a time in the day to cover it. It allows you to add subjects such as arts, crafts, language, or whatever it is that you may want to add to your homeschool and hit them during the week. Without feeling overwhelmed. Here is a great way to create a loop schedule.
Include your children in the planning process.
Ask your child what are some things they want to learn? Are you doing a unit study? What units do they want to study this year? Include your children in the planning process, which will make your homeschool learning atmosphere more fun for them.And when learning is more fun for them, it’s more peaceful for Momma.
Remind yourself that every child learns at a different pace.
No child learns anything at the same time. The beauty of homeschool is being able to pace yourself and your child to learn what they need to be learning when they’re able to learn it. Without them feeling rushed and overwhelmed. It doesn’t matter if your child learns to read at four or seven or even nine. What matters is that they learn to love to read. That should be your focus as a homeschool Momma is teaching your child how to love learning not rushing to learn to keep up with their peers.
Be OK with taking breaks.
It is absolutely OK to take breaks. It is OK to take breaks during the day if you or your child is feeling overwhelmed. Also,iIt is OK to stop what you’re doing and go play at the park. Or bake a treat. Whatever it may be. It’s OK to take a break after a couple of weeks if your child needs a break. Remind yourself that it is OK. You do not have to rush through the school year!
Have a time during the day that is just for you.
have time that is just for you Momma. You need a break during the day. Whether it’s in the morning before your children’s makeup or in the middle of the day. Take a few minutes or an hour whatever you may need and spend that time with just you so you can regroup and relax.
Take it one day at a time.
Enjoy the day with your children. Take your homeschool one day at a time. Even if it doesn’t seem like your child is grasping an idea or learning, what do you think they should be learning? They most likely are.
Don’t rush your child or yourself.
Don’t rush your child. Allow your child to learn and grow at their own pace. And allow yourself to learn and grow at your own pace. You do not have to conquer the world in this one year. All your child’s learning will build.
Unwind after having a tough homeschool day
- Tip 1: Remember it’s OK to stop for the day and pick it back up tomorrow.
- Tip 2: Pay attention to your child’s cues. Are they struggling with the material?
- Tip 3: After your break, the next day, examine if your child needs to slow down or go back and relearn material.
- Tip 4: Do something fun that your child loves to do. Park, baking, watching an educational show. It will count as learning!
You are your child’s parent. You can create a learning environment that they will thrive in.
It is absolutely possible to start homeschooling this year with peace. Have you ever read teaching from rest? This is an excellent book that I encourage every Momma to read when they start out with homeschooling. She gives you tips and ideas on how to bring peace into your home school and stop feeling overwhelmed.
Remember, it’s OK to have a bad day, but you do not have to have a bad year and become overwhelmed by an overworked homeschool mama. Just remember what your goal is when you’re homeschooling your children. You can do it! (Read: Reduce Your Stress as a Stay-at-Home Mom)
What to do now: Join Chaos to Calm Mom Fb Group Today!