A Successful Homeschool - Habits and Practices that have Helped Me Homeschool Well
Over the years, I've been asked by many of my followers on YouTube and Instagram these questions: What do I do to homeschool well? What do I do that helps me homeschool successfully? For years I pondered over these questions. Through my time of reflection, I found some key things that have helped me to homeschool well throughout the years and developed some habits that helped me grow in my homeschool journey.
Before I share these tips and habits, I have a disclaimer. I am not perfect. I am human like each of you. What I have done over the years in my homeschool has added to my experience, but by no means does it mean that it is the only right way or that you will only be able to homeschool if you do everything I share. Each person is unique, each child is different, and each homeschool is special to each family. As you read through this post, ask yourself what areas stand out to you. Do you feel led to grow in these areas? Pat yourself on the back for the things you do well. But remember, this is just my experience, and I'm sharing it to encourage you and not shame or condemn you.
Practices and Habits for a Successful Homeschool
Practice for Success
I'll start by sharing eight practices that have helped me to homeschool well. These habits have truly blessed my family and me during the many years I've homeschooled, and I pray they will also help you.
#1: Make Homeschooling a Priority and Passion.
Homeschooling is not another thing you tack on at the end of your day. It is a way of life. It's an all-encompassing thing for your family. Having this attitude in your heart and life is important if you wish to homeschool long-term and successfully. It has to be the number one priority in your day. You also have to be passionate about homeschooling and know why you do it. Having an attitude of gratitude throughout your homeschool journey is important too. Being thankful for the ability and privilege to teach your children is a must.
#2: Choose the Right Curriculum for Your Family.
It is important to find the right curriculum. And let me be clear. No one curriculum will work for every homeschool family out there. By "right" curriculum, I mean find the right curriculum for your family. There is no perfect curriculum out there, and there will always be something new to try, but once you find something that works well for your family, stick with it. Whether it works because of your kids' learning styles and preferences or because of the time it takes to complete during your homeschool day, having a curriculum that suits your family is key to homeschooling well. There is also value in using the same curriculum for an extended amount of time. If you are constantly changing the curriculum in your homeschool, there may be disadvantages that could surface later, such as gaps in learning.
#3: Have a Schedule.
Having systems and rhythms in place helps your day run smoothly and helps to create an atmosphere of routine. It promotes efficiency and effectiveness in your homeschool day. You don't have to plan out every hour of every day. That can be unrealistic and may cause tension when you don't get something done by the hour you want to. However, having a flow to your homeschool day regarding what subjects are taught first, whether family subjects or independent work, helps you and your children know what is coming up and next and allows everyone to stay focused.
#4: Don’t Overload your Schedule.
I'm a better homeschool mom, not to mention a better mom and wife, if I'm not stretched out to the max. I try to schedule nothing extra on our homeschool days. This goes back to making homeschooling a priority. If you have many things planned throughout the week that fill up the spaces between your homeschool day, it can cause you to rush through homeschooling. Removing things that cause me to feel rushed was huge for me, and it has blessed our homeschool.
#5: Research for Success.
Research homeschooling. Research public schooling. Research and discover your WHY. Research curriculums. This research helps to prepare your mindset for homeschooling and helps prevent burnout. Make sure homeschooling is something you really want to do and works best for your family. Research what's required for your state. Research curriculums that work for your child's different learning styles. Research different routines that may work for your family's lifestyle. I believe everyone can homeschool, but it helps when you take the time to research before you jump in.
#6: Don’t Lose Self.
Through the years of homeschooling, I have kept two or three things that I enjoy outside of homeschooling to assist in not losing myself. This has helped me battle the idea that I'm ONLY a homeschool mom. I encourage you to find the things that bring you joy (for me, one is working out), which let you feel like you are doing something for yourself that you enjoy that is separate from your job as a homeschool mom.
#7: Take Homeschooling Seriously.
When you homeschool your kids, it is a full-time job. Between researching curriculum, setting up your routines, teaching your children, grading, etc., homeschooling takes a lot of your time. So take it seriously. I treat homeschooling as part of my calling and want to do it well. I want to serve my family and God well through this calling. It can be easy to become too relaxed with homeschooling. It helps to compare homeschooling to a career. If you are working in a career, you are going to work prepared, you're thinking the night before about what you have to accomplish the next day, and you're operating using systems and procedures. When you approach your homeschooling seriously, you give it the time needed to succeed.
#8: Prepare for your day.
Being prepared for your homeschool day is important. Being prepared not only in the curriculums you're using or your schedule but the parts of life that fall within the homeschool day, like meal planning, grocery shopping, extracurriculars, travel plans, etc. If you don't plan ahead, you may be more reactive to the things that happen throughout the day or week instead of being prepared if something happens or changes.
5 Habits that Changed our Homeschool
These following five habits have made an impact on our homeschool and have changed it for the better. These were areas that I have grown in over the years and have truly blessed our family.
#1: Setting out our morning basket table the night before.
When my kids were younger, we used to do morning basket on the couch, but as my kids have gotten older, I have moved away from that, and now we start our school days sitting around the table. Setting out my supplies the night before has blessed my homeschool day tenfold. It helps me feel prepared and starts us off on the right foot.
You can set yourself up for success when you plan ahead and set up early. So take time to set up the area where you homeschool before the school day begins, whether that means stacking your child's lessons or independent work in order of desired completion or setting out morning basket supplies next to your couch or on your table. This habit will prevent last-minute running around to gather supplies or lessons, which is a huge distraction for you and can disrupt the flow of your homeschool day. This habit alone will bless your homeschool day because it only takes 5 to 10 minutes the night before and helps the homeschool day flow much smoother.
#2: Study God’s word together EVERY DAY.
If I've learned one thing through my homeschool journey, it is to PUT GOD FIRST! If everything else fails in the homeschool day or something interrupts our day, I will ensure that our family has dedicated time in God's word daily. He is the creator of everything and can encourage you through His word when all else may be chaos. He truly refreshes your soul each time you dig in. We like to start our day in morning basket with Him, and when we make this a priority, He truly blesses us in our attitudes for the rest of the day. Making time with God a priority in our homeschool has taught my kids to seek Him constantly and has helped me to refocus after a hard lesson or an argument with a child or between siblings.
#3: Don’t be led by emotions in homeschooling.
This can mean keeping your feelings from dictating your homeschool day, whether you are in a bad mood, grumpy, tired, or unmotivated. It can also mean you don't let your children's emotions dictate your school day. You and your child are not perfect, and you both will have days when you don't have the best attitude or feel emotional.
Every situation will be different so use Godly discernment when deciding to take a break. Sometimes a break is warranted, as with the loss of a pet or loved one, to allow for mourning. However, it is tough to stay consistent in homeschooling, character training, and discipleship of your children if you don't do school every time someone has a bad attitude. Whether you or a child is having a bad day or is in a bad mood, don't let that dictate whether you complete your school day.
Self-control (not being led by emotions) is biblical and a life skill that should be taught to our children and modeled for them in our own lives. Feelings are fleeting and change all the time. We cannot rely on quickly changing things in an area where there needs consistency. We are shaping the next generation, and it is not fruitful to model to our children that your homeschool day hinges on them and their feelings: Feelings like not wanting to do something, not liking something, something being hard, or having a fit and getting their way. However, when you teach your children not to be led by emotions and model that as their parent, the blessing is noticeable during your homeschool day. There is so much growth and spiritual maturity that comes with a child learning to persevere through emotions and difficulty.
#4: No Comparison.
I never struggled with comparison regarding feeling inferior in my homeschool or that someone was doing it better. But what I did struggle with in the comparison realm was always wondering if incorporating more would be better. I see all the good ideas that other homeschool families include in their homeschool, and I see all the fun things they do, and I want to do them too. But I've learned that this comparison will only lead me to burnout and overwhelm me.
Comparison can sometimes lead you to try a bunch of new things or get 20 new things that you can't even use right now. Comparison can also lead to feeling inadequate because maybe your child isn't where you think they should be based on another homeschooler's child being further along. My advice is to take ownership of your homeschool and focus on how you do things, not how others do them. No two children are alike, and no two mothers are alike. That is what is so wonderful about homeschooling. You can tailor learning for your child and create a homeschool atmosphere that fits your family. You get to homeschool the way that works for your family and your life circumstances. Other families may have different circumstances that allow them to do different things, but that doesn't mean it is better than what you do for your family. It's just different and works for their family.
There is a big difference between gleaning wisdom, inspiration, or ideas and comparing your homeschool to others. Comparison will always leave you feeling bad. If you compare, you can either have an attitude of self-righteousness or self-pity. Both are not biblical. Comparison never leads to something fruitful. Focus on what works for your family and seek the little daily blessings that make your homeschool day and family special.
#5: Pray aloud to your kids.
Over the past seven years, praying aloud with my children has transformed our homeschool. It has become part of our daily rhythm. Sometimes the kids will pray aloud, but most of the time, I do. I pray for each child or things I may be struggling with. I don't keep my prayers focused on only homeschooling, either. If we are walking through something as a family, I bring it before the Lord in prayer in front of my children. Praying authentically and earnestly as we gather daily has radically changed our homeschool. It has been such a huge blessing, and there is power in praying out loud with your children and in front of them.
“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed”
That's a wrap, friends! I pray that these habits and practices bless you in your homeschool. Check out the YouTube videos below for more detail on these topics. Have a wonderful week, friends!
