5 homeschooling tips

A big thanks to Jesse’s mum (sorry — mom!) for kindly providing five useful tips for your homeschooling.

1. Some slack

Give yourself some slack.
Give your kids some slack.

This is a new thing that we have all been thrust into. Starting homeschooling when you are prepared is hard enough, but much harder and overwhelming when it has been thrust upon you. This is new to you, it is also new to your children – so remember to have some grace when you come upon situations that are a wee bit trying.

2. Balance

Have some balance in your day. If they are required to do some paperwork from school, the good news is it should only take an hour or two out of their day. Give them ample opportunity the rest of the day to play, & explore the world around them. Give them time to do the things they enjoy. You will be surprised at what they learn when given the time. So, do a little math, do a little science, do a little reading – then let them explore.

3. Take heart

Take heart, you are not going to ruin your kids ☺ Anything they don’t learn in the next month or so, they still have the rest of their lives to learn. They are going to be fine.

4. Know your child

Know your child: Each child learns differently and responds to situations differently. Now maybe a good time to discover your child(ren) and how they learn. As you read over these quick descriptions, see if your child falls into any of them:

• Auditory: They prefer learning through rhythms or tend to use clever rhymes to remember things.
• Visual: They prefer pictures, images, and mind maps to help you process information
• Physical: They prefer learning while in motion. Hands-on activities, sports, and may talk with your hands…hint: if they are upset about something you may want to give them some time to take a walk or run around the back yard to help them think things through. 
• Social; They prefer to work with other people and find they learn best in groups. 
• Verbal: They need/​like to have content read aloud and likes to express themselves in written or verbal form. 
• Logical: These are our children who like to have their world in order. They like to group their blocks, plan their day, do their math without any 
• Hesitation. They learn things when they see the bigger picture along with the logic and reasoning of it. 
• Solitary: These students like to sit and work alone in order to get the most out of the information they need to learn. They are usually independent learners.

That is a lot of homework right there, I know! But when you understand each of your children and what makes them tick, it will be easier to accommodate how you not only handle homework but situations, good or bad, as they arise. This will make life run just a little bit smoother. (Hint: Learning my children’s Love Languages also helped me communicate with them better) 

5. Enjoy the moments

Even though it seems like this is going to last forever, a year from now this will be like a drop in the bucket. In the grand scheme of life, you only get a small amount of time to spend with your children – so focus on the things you can do with the opportunities you are given. I hope you take these moments and enjoy them and make the most of the situation that we have been given.

Many Blessings and Prayers to you all in the trenches,

With Love,
A Home School Mom of 5