WHEN HOMESCHOOLING IS A HOT MESS
Let me get straight to the heart here... Whether you are new to homeschooling, or have been homeschooling for a number of years, you are going to have days (even months) where you just don't feel like homeschool is right for you, or your children.
In fact, for about a year... I struggled to get my daughter to do anything without screaming and having a meltdown. I didn't understand why I could teach 30+ kids in a public school setting, but fail so miserably teaching just one at home. I felt like a monster, every day! Now, before I say, "Homeschooling isn't for everyone", which is the case for some... HOLD ON!!! Don't give up! No homeschool is as Pinterest-perfect as they seem to be. They have wet towels behind their bathroom doors, dishes in the sink, and their dogs have fleas.
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Why can homeschooling be such a hot mess?
Well, if you have a Type A personality like myself, I apologize, but you might be the reason it's a hot mess. See, my daughter and I can be very different. I like getting up early to get things done, so I can do more things that need to be accomplished later. Yeah, no breaks for me!
My daughter likes to do her school work at night, sleep in, take breaks between activities and to be honest...It drives me nuts sometimes!
I learned the hard way that we had different personalities. If you are new to homeschooling (or have years of experience), it's okay to take a few weeks (or even a year) to get to know your child. Most importantly, find out their strengths and where their passions are. This may be easy for younger children. If they love dinosaurs, or trains... Have them count them, or talk about how they eat, behave, or look. Some teachers may call these themes or unit studies.
You may be thinking to yourself... "but, my child only wants to play video games, or watch television!" Well, you can do one of two things... Unplug them, or encourage them to do what they enjoy while learning at the same time. Could they be designing their own video game or character using Blender? Blender is a free and open source 3d modeling program, which has it's own game making engine. Could they be narrating their favorite t.v. show, or creating their own news broadcast you record on your phone?
There are so many benefits to homeschooling your children! Being able to go at their own pace, is just one of them. Take your time and learn from each other. You are your child's first and best teacher. When they see you valuing their education, they will start to see it's importance. Just hold on!!! It will get less messy...
My daughter likes to do her school work at night, sleep in, take breaks between activities and to be honest...It drives me nuts sometimes!
I learned the hard way that we had different personalities. If you are new to homeschooling (or have years of experience), it's okay to take a few weeks (or even a year) to get to know your child. Most importantly, find out their strengths and where their passions are. This may be easy for younger children. If they love dinosaurs, or trains... Have them count them, or talk about how they eat, behave, or look. Some teachers may call these themes or unit studies.
You may be thinking to yourself... "but, my child only wants to play video games, or watch television!" Well, you can do one of two things... Unplug them, or encourage them to do what they enjoy while learning at the same time. Could they be designing their own video game or character using Blender? Blender is a free and open source 3d modeling program, which has it's own game making engine. Could they be narrating their favorite t.v. show, or creating their own news broadcast you record on your phone?
There are so many benefits to homeschooling your children! Being able to go at their own pace, is just one of them. Take your time and learn from each other. You are your child's first and best teacher. When they see you valuing their education, they will start to see it's importance. Just hold on!!! It will get less messy...