It’s halfway into the school year and you’re wondering if the grass is really greener on the other side. You’ve probably toyed with the idea of homeschooling, but thought you’d give this year one more try. You said something back in August like, “Let’s see how it goes this year…” Now you find yourself stuck on a merry-go-round of disaster with the school system. It’s no different than last year and your kids are begging to come home. Permanently.
This is where I was 9 years ago. My oldest was in public school which had always been a struggle. Mid-year through his 6th grade experience, I knew this wasn’t going to work. His behaviors at home and at school were a constant challenge and switching classes every period made his Neurospicy brain go bonkers! More about why we decided to homeschool here.
Don’t Hesitate
One of the best things you can do is recognize what’s NOT working for your kid and “stop the bleeding”. If they were touching a hot stove and didn’t immediately retract their hand, you would intervene, right?! If your child is being bullied and the school isn’t putting a stop to it, don’t wait for a next time. It only compounds the trauma they are experiencing.
Don’t Wait
I’ve helped many coaching clients make a smooth transition from public school to homeschool in the middle of the year. You do NOT have to wait until the end of the year, semester or week to withdraw your child from public school. Even if they’re in high school. Check HSLDA.org for your state’s notification requirements. Often it’s as simple as turning a form into the state.
Don’t Second Guess
The minute you start getting serious about considering homeschool as an option, doubts will likely arise. What if I fail? What if they become awkward? How will they socialize? Can we really do this? All of those questions are valid concerns worth exploring. If your mind is spinning with overwhelm, I encourage you to pause, take a deep breath and just put one foot in front of the other. The decision to homeschool is big. It shifts the family culture in all the best ways. And if you’re feeling a call to this life, the path will rise to meet your feet. You will find your way. Your kids will make friends. And you won’t ruin their education. But it does take effort and attention.
Once you make the decision to homeschool, decide in your heart to stick it out. Do NOT threaten to send your kids back to public school if they don’t XYZ. Using public school as a punishment creates a few problems. 1- Idle threats aren’t cool. Kids will sniff it out and exploit it! 2- If it’s not idle, then your kids are left feeling insecure in the homeschool and have difficulty settling into the routine and culture. 3- If for some other reason down the road you decide to send them back to institutional school, they’ll internalize it as punishment. No matter how much you explain, it will already have been reinforced that this is because of something they did wrong. Our words have power and influence. Choose them wisely and use them intentionally.
Download my FREE Homeschool Launch Guide Here
First things first
Many families decide over the holiday break to extend the “break” and try homeschooling on for size. While there’s nothing wrong with that idea, I would recommend not filling their holiday vacation with book work, “playing school” at home. Read here for more [motivation]. Instead, let them have a true vacation. And extend THAT while you Deschool (deconstruct and detox from the school system). Deschooling is one of the most important foundations you can lay in your homeschool, yet it’s one many try to skip (including me 8 years ago)! Start with the launch guide above. It’s FREE. It’ll set you on the right path for homeschooling while shifting your mindset. Public school wasn’t working for your kids. So don’t recreate that environment at home. This is the number ONE mistake I see new homeschoolers make. So take the time to deschool. You’ll thank me later!
The best tip I can give you for starting homeschool during Christmas Break is to simply enjoy the time of connection with your family. Lean into doing things together. As you create memories, consider the culture you are creating right now. Do you want more of those moments? Then file the paperwork and figure out the rest as you go along.
Journey into the Unknown
Beginning the homeschool journey is much like leaving the cold, cement buildings you’ve always known to embark on a hike into the wild woods. It’s exciting at first. All the possibilities and opportunities for adventure come calling! Pretty soon all those choices create overwhelm as you realize there’s no clear path on this hike. What if there are dangers and canyons ahead?! And most days you can’t see more than a few steps ahead. Is that fog closing in around you?
As much as you search for answers and a clear path forward, it can be difficult to find the right voice to follow. Every homeschool mom has a different opinion on which books to use and what approach is best. So before you dive into all that, I’ll give you a free tip: This path of homeschooling is as unique as you and your family are. You can ask 100 homeschool moms how to homeschool and get 100 different responses. That’s because what works for one may not work for another and to be honest, most are fumbling through their own path, too.
If you’d like an experienced guide for the homeschool journey to show you how to find your own unique homeschool strategy that will serve you and your family without overwhelm or FOMO, I’d love to help! Click here.