Listen, I started homeschooling in the middle of the pandemic. No warnings. I hadn’t done any research ahead of time. My kindergartener came home for spring break and never went back to school.
Add to that two toddlers, a newborn, and a husband who was working overnights at the time and to say that the beginning of our homeschool journey was chaotic is a sever understatement.
Because of that — and also because experimenting is just part of the game when you’re home educating — I’ve made a lot of mistakes.
A lot.
Like listening to waaaaay too many people on the internet. And curriculum hopping. And prioritizing connection over curriculum to the point that we weren’t doing enough curriculum. And then panicking and filling our days with so much curriculum to catch up that we were all miserable.
The list goes on and on, but you get the idea.
Honestly, I don’t know a single homeschool mom out there who wouldn’t say she’s messed up a ton. And that if she could go back and start again she would do things differently.
That’s just kind of the way life goes, isn’t it? We live and learn and then think “if I had known then what I know now…”
Since I can’t go back and start again all I can do is do better for my kids now. AND share with you some of my mistakes. Hopefully you can have a better start than I did.
If I’d Known Then What I Know Now, Here’s How I would Have Started Our Homeschool Journey
- I would have taken some time to research homeschool philosophies. I felt like I had to jump in head first. In the grand scheme of things, taking a couple of week — or even a couple of months — to slow down and research would have been helpful. It would have set us on a more consistent path from the beginning.
- I would have created a core homeschool routine and then slowly built from there. Back then I was so worried about my kids falling behind, but I only had one school-age student and he was six! I probably should have just done a little bit of math and language arts each day. Plus some Scripture reading and plenty of our outdoor time/open play. That would have plenty for him! Then each year we could have added new subjects based on his ability to sit for longer periods of time.
- I would have gorged him on good literature and music. Great literature and classical music, plus the core subjects I mentioned above, would have been plenty! Especially for a six-year-old boy who still needed a lot of play time.
- I would have relaxed! I was so scared I was going to mess him up. But guess what? If I had slowed down and built a consistent routine, we would have caught up in no time!
Don’t be afraid to slow down and do what feels right for your family.
ONE FINAL HOMESCHOOLING MISTAKE – NOT CHECKING YOUR STATE LAWS
Perhaps this mistake should have been listed as number one, or included in the actual seven, because it’s a biggie.
You must educate yourself on your state’s laws and requirements for homeschooling. You can get the best advice in the world from friends, family, and internet blogs but you must know your state laws.
If you aren’t sure where to start The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a fantastic resource! They provide many free resources for homeschooling families, particularly the requirements of each state. You can visit their website at www.hslda.org.