How to Find Joy in Your Homeschooling

You came here because you are either a stressed homeschooling parent, or you are thinking of homeschooling and trying to get all your ducks in a room before you begin your daily schedule and hustle and bustle of homeschool life. Take a deep breath and relax. I will show you the best way to begin stress-free homeschooling.

STRESS-FREE HOMESCHOOLING: What Causes Stress in Homeschooling?

We all know what stress feels like. Before we begin to have a stress-free homeschooling experience, we need to understand what stress is. But what causes stress? We begin to compare ourselves with others and believe that we aren’t doing enough, we aren’t good enough, we aren’t popular enough. And those thoughts affect everyone in our household. Pretty soon our children have taken on our stress and made it personal.

The reality is that stress is our failure to live up to someone else’s life. I want you to live the life that was intended for you. I want you to breathe deep and know you are in good hands. As a long-time homeschool parent, I have literally walked before you. Every day I see moms and dads on social media asking people questions about online learning, online schools, distance learning, free resources, and more. However, the easiest way to have a stress-free day is to get off social media and focus on you and what works for you.

Some children have always been home-schooled, for others it’s been a brand new experience. Homeschooling can be lots of fun, but it can also be stressful at times. Even veteran homeschool moms experience stress when teaching their children, picking homeschool curriculum, or even planning field trips. To ensure that you have a stress-free experience, keep these simple tips in mind.

1 . Plan a schedule to have a stress-free homeschooling adventure

When you’re teaching your child from home, it’s important to create some sort of schedule. Plan out your week in advance, however, do not be afraid to deviate from your schedule. My days look much different now than when I started homeschooling when I was fully scheduled out. However, the schedule should guide you and not dictate your life. A routine may help your child to feel comfortable, and learn what to expect. However, a schedule will teach them little about the real world where you are interrupted by life on a regular basis. Allow those interruptions to be God-focused and understand your schedule is a tool and not “real life.”

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Here are a few apps which can help you to organize a homeschool schedule:

Homeschool Panda

This app can help you to create schedules, lesson plans, and get organized. Using the Homeschool Panda app you can set assignments, and connect with other homeschooling parents close by.

Evernote

This app can help you to organize your child’s schedule, using the calendar, to-do lists, notes, and time-keeping features. It’s easy to use and you can customize the dashboard to your needs and your child’s education.

2 . Ensure enough breaks

To ensure you have a stress-free homeschooling experience, you’ll need to make sure that you schedule breaks throughout the day. Being at home all day can feel stressful for some children. Particularly if they are new to homeschooling. If possible, arrange for a few breaks out of the house. Take a walk in the park, visit the local store, or simply a short walk around the block. A change of scenery will help your child to recharge and feel relaxed.

Be aware that it’s usually a little thing that causes the most stress, and making this one little change can be all that you need!

3. Balance academic and creative

You’ll have a certain amount of academic subjects to get through, including math, English, and science. Though these subjects are important, you’ll also want to leave room for some creative subjects. Plan sessions in drama, art, and music, encourage your child to explore their creative side and unwind.

If it’s a sunny day you might want to take your lessons outside, learning outdoors can be a lovely distraction for kids, (especially when they are getting a bit restless).

Also, remember that you and your child may need to detox from what you think school looks like before diving right into a rigid schedule or a full course load. Taking a break and figuring out what works for you and allowing yourself to connect on a personal daily level with your child is a great start to a school year. In fact, on our first day back to school each fall, we play hooky and go to lunch and enjoy the fact that everything is calm and quiet in the usual stomping grounds.

4. Find a way to connect with God

As a Christian, I believe the best way to support mental health is by having a healthy relationship with your Creator. When you’re teaching your child at home, it’s important to support them. Encourage them to talk to you about their feelings and concerns. Provide them with opportunities to learn about God and what He says about them. I have told my children on a regular basis, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” This is what God says about us. We need to say it about our children and ourselves.

Additionally, an important thing to remember is that you also need to take care of yourself. You know the saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” It’s true. If you fail to take care of your needs and don’t plan for breaks for yourself as a homeschooling mom, you may find that the day-to-day becomes impossible for you.

One of the things I like to do is to schedule a quiet time for myself first thing in the morning. I sit with my Bible and talk with God, drink my coffee, and reconnect with my God-given vision for my life. This gives me the energy, focus, and patience I need to get through the day! It enables me to be the kind of mom that I want to be. It wasn’t always like that though. When I walk away from my relationship with God, my relationship with everyone else around me suffers.

5. Homeschool Laws

It usually is a simple thing that pushes us over the edge. In fact, something as simple as a letter in the mail can cause anxiety in your life. You can have a stress-free homeschool by ensuring that you are following the homeschool laws in your state or country. This can help you in ways that you don’t even understand yet. Some states require very little to begin homeschooling while other states have more strict homeschool regulations.

Knowing what you will need to report to your state before you begin a new homeschool year will mean that you have one less worry later on. Additionally, you will have a plan to follow.

6. To have a stress-free homeschooling days, don’t be afraid to change the plan

The beauty of homeschooling means that you are the one in control of your child’s education. There is no one else setting unrealistic expectations for your family and your child. This automatically produces less stress because as a loving parent you know what is best for your child.

7. Do it your way

The main thing I have learned in my homeschooling journey is that God placed my child in my household for a reason. Other well-meaning family members may try to give me advice and tell me what they think is the best, but I am free to do things my way. By doing things your way, you create the high school experience that is best for your older children – prom, no-prom, sports, no-sports. You create a comfort zone that works for your special needs child. Instead of just having a home school, you get to do real life with your children in a way that is comfortable for you and them.

For some families, stress-free homeschooling may involve selling your home and buying an RV, and seeing the country. For other families, it may mean buying a small farm and homesteading – raising goats and gardening and canning. Just make sure to do it your way.

8. Reward your child

Ensure that you reward your child often, you’ll want them to know that you are proud of their efforts. You might try creating a sticker chart that they can use to collect points. When they have a certain amount of points you might consider rewarding your child with a gift. Not sure which kind of gift to choose? The Supercharged Jett deluxe transforming toy is a super popular option right now.

9. I don’t have enough money to have a stress-free homeschooling day!

This is the biggest complaint I hear from other mothers! Money seems to rob us of having a stress-free homeschooling adventure. Many times one parent is giving up a job to stay home and teach the children. One way to eliminate this stress is to find a home-based job or work for a company that allows you to have a flexible schedule. I have almost always worked from home, but at one time I worked for a doctor doing overflow work in the early years of homeschooling. I would go into his office after hours to help them catch up. My husband was home with the children, and this job allowed me to pay for the curriculum and save for vacations.

Keep in mind, the added cost of curriculum doesn’t have to break the bank. Additionally, there are free online curriculum options that are great to get started. After you figure out your teaching style and your children’s learning style, you can begin to experiment with piecing curriculum together or making your own lesson plans.

10. Time

You may just not have the time in your day to homeschool. I get that. Some parents are working full-time jobs and trying to navigate the world of home education. If your work-from-home job doesn’t give you the flexibility to oversee the education of your child, there are online classes that even come with the ability to have a teacher oversee your children’s work. This takes the pressure off of you and because there is accountability built into this style of learning, that means your child will most likely be able to stick to this more rigid schedule.

Furthermore, there are more and more online jobs that give you the flexibility so you can still work and homeschool too!

Some children will love homeschooling and others will take a while to adjust, wherever your child is on the scale, ensure that you give them lots of praise and support. With homeschooling tips like these, you’ll keep your child happy and productive!

For additional items essential to homeschooling, see my post: Supplies You Need in Your Homeschool

15 Tips for Motivating Your Homeschool Child

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