5 Lessons Learned My First Year Homeschooling!
Welcome back, friends! It’s my second year of homeschooling with five children, (ages 7 and under), and I’ve had some solid take aways that I couldn’t wait to share with you all! My hope is that what I’ve learned thus far can encourage you to keep going in your own homeschool journey. To find out 5 important lessons I've learned keep on reading! If you’d like to check out the Charlotte Mason Homeschool Curriculum I’m using with Ambleside Online you can find it HERE.
1. Don't “spoon feed” your child
If you don't allow your children to build the muscle of thinking for themselves, they will never learn. For example, part of Charlotte Mason's style for Year 2 is to have your child orally narrate back to you what they've learned after each subject. It can be very tempting for the mother teacher to “put words” in their child’s mouth, or even guide them to respond with HER ideal answer! This is something I’ve been tempted to do. I’m relieved to have become aware of it, and stopped it early on in our homeschool journey. If this is you also, don’t take on mom guilt. No matter what you’ve done in the past, leave it in the past. Make the choice that today, you will allow your children to eat and taste of this wonderful life of learning for themselves!
2. Laugh with your child
We can learn WITH laughter! We can learn WITH joy! Children do not need to be “serious” in order to retain information. In fact, that’d be a pretty miserable standard for learning. As our children's mother, AND teacher, we have the unique opportunity to mold lifelong “lovers of learning.” We get to create enjoyable memories for them of schooling at home! Let’s not be so rigid and focused on “checking boxes” that we rob our children of these joyful experiences. In fact, let’s not rob ourselves of these experiences because like most things in life, one day we’ll blink, and this beautiful season of homeschool will be over.
3. Go at your child’s pace
The whole point of homeschooling is to center learning around the uniqueness of your child, and what makes them grow best. Stressing over missed lessons, optional activities that don’t fit your schedule, or “highly recommended” curriculums that just don’t help your child strive is an unecessary burden to carry! Do what's best for YOUR child, and do it unapologetically! I guarantee that if "Paper Sloyd" doesn’t make it into your child's schedule, it will not hinder his, or her education!
4. It’s okay to deviate from your normal routine
If you’re a rule follower like I am, then it probably hurts your heart to experience some spontaneity in your day that “gets you off track.” I had to stop and remember that this flexibility is the very beauty of homeschooling! Deviating from your routine may feel scary at first, but learning does not just happen in the home. The more I embraced the moments where my plans were inevitably interrupted, the more we were unexpectedly blessed with life lessons and memories we would otherwise not have. I used to get flustered, but now I just readjust knowing it will all be O.K., and it always has been! (Funny side note: My mom bought me the sign you see in the picture above, and it’s been the mantra for my homeschool year. I think the applesauce splattered on either side of the sign, which I just realized while posting this photo by the way, shows that I’m embracing the unexpected pretty well, haha!)
5. Don't be so hard on yourself
Your child is NOT the only one who is learning! Just as your child is learning to be a student of life, YOU are learning to be a gracious mother who teaches with the fruits of the Spirit! Remember to give yourself the same grace that you are extending to your child as you learn more about yourself in this wonderful, yet demanding season. Give yourself permission to grow throughout the years, also. I have no doubt you will!
SURPRISE! BONUS LESSON BELOW:
6. Dependence on our Creator is key
Teaching our children well will be one of the most challenging and rewarding things we ever do in our lives! There will be moments where we doubt, question, and for many…even want to throw in the towel. Remember that when we are weak, HE is strong, and while it may feel impossible to accomplish some days on our own strength, with Yeshua/Jesus ALL things are possible! Let’s not allow the hard times to pull us away from the One who loves us, and created us. Instead, let us draw closer to our Heavenly Father for all the things we lack, knowing He will be faithful to supply our needs.
Thanks so much for reading all the lessons I’ve learned in my first year of homeschooling! I'd love to hear any nuggets of wisdom you’ve learned on your homeschool journey in the comments below. Happy learning!
Cool, Calm, and Collectedly Yours,