5 tips for your first year of homeschooling
with a pandemic that seems to not be going away anytime soon, homeschooling is a topic that is being discussed in a lot more homes this year. some parents probably don’t want to homeschool, and are being thrown in to this against their will. i totally get it, it’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea! but there is beauty in it no matter how you got here, and my wish is to help other families fall in love with this precious gift of time ⋒
keep your expectations low
remember that this is all new, and not just for you- but for your children too. it’s hard to keep your expectations low sometimes when you see families on social media who seem to have it all together (news flash: they don’t!)
i wish someone would have told me this my first year of schooling at home! so many less meltdowns, less tears and less doubt i would have had. keep your expectations to a minimum, remembering that even if your child does nothing academically for that day… they are learning! they are learning practical life skills. they are watching you. watching you fold laundry, invite them to help. watching you cook, invite them to help. all of these day to day things are essential life skills and should hold just as much value as academics
Always have snacks available
this probably seems so minuscule but i promise it’s a game changer. keep a bowl of fruit, or easy to grab snacks available on your school table or somewhere near where your child will be working. food is such an important element in learning and for us it has made such a difference in our kids attitudes. a well fueled brain functions so much better than a hungry one. this is a philosophy of Montessori that we have always loved! it also eliminates the need to get up for a snack, which is just another distraction that you don’t need.
introduce quiet time from the beginning
this is probably my best piece of advise for anyone, not just homeschoolers! mamas, you need quiet time just as much as your kids do. do it for you and your sanity! for us, we use mars’ nap time as quiet time. each of my kids goes into their own space, away from each other. to be honest, as long as it’s quiet (and safe) i don’t really care what they do for that hour. legos, reading, drawing, painting, resting, sleeping- whatever, as long as it’s quiet. this can take a little adjusting if you have not implemented quiet time yet, but that’s ok, just keep with it and eventually it becomes a part of your rhythm
more on quiet time here
Start simple and slow
something that felt overwhelming for me in the beginning was trying to implement all of these ideas i had. i couldn’t even organize my thoughts, so i finally realized to get the best results - we needed to slow down. i suggest starting academically with reading and math for the first couple of weeks. let everything else be light and fun. painting, nature play, practical life., etc. once a routine is established with those two subjects, then add it the other academics that you want to include and it will feel less overwhelming for both you and your child.
Ask for help
just do it!! ask a fellow homeschool mama, (ask me) join Facebook groups, utilize your child’s teacher if you have one // no question is off limits! i have learned the most from other homeschool families, and it is always so encouraging to me how willing to help they are. it really is such a beautiful community of people that are so happy to give guidance and encouragement, so embrace it!