Homeschooling And How To Make It Easier

Homeschooling can be tricky. On some days, you feel like you’re finally making progress with math lessons; on other days, it feels like you’re trying to herd a litter of hissing cats to the vet. The truth is you’re not alone. Even the most seasoned homeschoolers have their off days too.

However, we’ve compiled some of the best homeschooling tips and tricks that can take some of the weight off your shoulders and make your job easier. So, grab a notepad and prepare to take a huge breath of relief.

The Best Homeschooling Tips from Experts

Take the pressure off

As a homeschooling parent, you probably want to do everything at once. You want to try out math lessons, grammar lessons, and so on. While this ambition is admirable, it could cause you to break down before you know it. What’s worse, the approach could also affect your kid.

Following your own pace is one of the keys to homeschooling. You don’t have to put an insane amount of pressure on yourself or juggle multiple things to succeed. When you ease the pressure, it becomes easier to focus on the important tasks.

This way, you can continue to show up everyday for your kids.

Maintain a consistent routine

We get it: routines are boring and hard to keep up with. However, an easy way to navigate the murky waters of homeschooling is by creating a routine and sticking with it. For starters, routines help to keep your child focused. Over time, they’ll come to accept learning as a regular activity and protest less. In the same vein, following a routine helps you plan your time efficiently and as a result, you’d get more tasks done in less time.

However, routines don’t have to be static. Be as flexible as you want and switch things up from time to time. This way, your routine won’t get boring over time.

Try out group learning

Picture this scenario: you have four kids. You spend one hour on an interactive math lesson with the first kid. Then you move onto the next. And the next. Sounds tiring, doesn’t it? If this scenario is familiar, you might need to pause and retrace your steps. Individual learning can be draining especially when you have more than two kids. You might spend the entire day learning.

Instead, try out group learning as a family. Group learning comes with several perks. For starters, you get to manage time efficiently. The approach also offers your kids an opportunity for social interaction and bonding.

Introduce rewards

Let’s face it: homeschooling your kids can be pretty chaotic even on good days. However, you can restore a semblance of order by creating a rewards system. Children love to be praised and encouraged when they do something right. Thus, you can fulfill this need by offering them rewards for performing well. This could be in the form of snacks or extra TV time. By introducing a reward system, you’d motivate kids to do better, thus making your job so much easier.

Take regular breaks

Although learning is essential, breaks in-between sessions are even more important. The last thing you want is an overwhelmed child who has had their fill of learning and never wants to touch a textbook again. To avoid this, encourage frequent breaks between learning sessions. During these breaks, children can have lunch, play, run, or even take a tiny nap.

At the end of the break, they’ll feel rejuvenated and ready to take on any learning activity you have in store for them. On the other hand, if they have to learn for several hours in a row, they’ll probably lose focus at some point.

Encourage social interaction

Social interaction is a huge part of the education system. In public schools, children get to play and interact with kids of their own age. Unfortunately, this is one bit your child may miss out on if they’re being homeschooled. And that is why many homeschooled kids tend to feel isolated or withdrawn.

Therefore, you need to encourage social interaction amongst your kids. Take them to sports games, dance classes, and parks. Encourage children to make friends with the kids in the neighborhood. By doing this, you’ll be giving kids the best of both worlds while boosting their social skills at the same time.

Use online resources

As parents, we like to think we’re superheroes and to a large extent, we are. However, when it comes to homeschooling, it’s okay to seek help from external sources. With the advent of edtech and the internet, homeschooling help is just a few clicks away. To begin with, you could hire an online math tutor to help you handle math while you focus on other subjects. This step will help you save time and ensure that your child is getting effective maths online lessons.

But it doesn’t all end at hiring an online math tutor. You can go a step further to download curriculums, worksheets, and lesson notes that will help you homeschool effectively.

Pick hours that work for everyone

Choosing the right hours is yet another tricky part of homeschooling. Picture this scenario: you’re a morning person, while your child is a polar opposite. How do you choose the right hours for lessons?

In scenarios like this, it’s always advisable to seek a compromise. You want your child to be fully alert and focused when learning. You also want to be at your best. To get past this conundrum, arrive at a middle ground. For instance, if your child is less active/alert in the mornings, you might want to push your lessons a few hours back until they’re ready to learn.

This way, everyone comes to the “classroom” at their best.

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling is certainly no piece of cake. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned homeschooler, it can get overwhelming on some days. Fortunately, these tips will make the burden lighter and in no time, you’ll begin to look forward to each session.

Good luck!