1. Get support from more experienced homeschoolers.
Having someone who understands your struggle who listens sympathetically and non-judgementally is often a huge relief for a homeschool mom. It is unlikely that your situation is unique. More experienced homeschoolers can usually offer you tips and advice to help you overcome the issue or at the very least encouragement to persevere. Feeling isolated and desperate and is not a good place to be. You can find support groups in your local area or online on egroups and social media.
Many of the battles that homeschoolers face are caused by the way they approach homeschooling. Usually parents think of schooling as their model for home education and once they discover that they don’t have to be so rigid, that there are a wide variety of fun, flexible and effective ways for children to learn, then things go better.
3. Deal with discipline and relationship issues first, before you focus on academics.
An unhappy child will not learn, so if your child is digging in his heels and giving you a hard time, you need to find out why. Once again, it might be boredom or frustration with the programme you have that is causing the child to be reluctant to learn. A more creative approach might resolve the issue. It is also important to teach children to express their emotions, rather than act them out with unacceptable behaviour. Although challenging at times, developing relationship-building skills is a priceless benefit of homeschooling for both parents and children.
4. Learn to say “No” and to guard your time:
Say NO to people and things like social media that gobble up your time and leave you feeling that you are not coping. Go to be early so you can get up earlier. You will feel rested and have time to get better organised at the start of each day.
5. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Often parents have false perceptions of what homeschooling is like. If you measure yourself by all the ‘window-dressing’ on the internet, you will always feel like you should be doing more. If you are doing the best you can, in your circumstances, with your budget,with your family situation, on this day, then you are doing enough.
