Sonlight is having a monthly blog linkup this year, in honor of their 25th anniversary. The topic for March is to share the best homeschool advice you’ve been given and write about what you would advise new homeschoolers.
I thought it would be fun to join in on the linkup because I believe in Sonlight and want to support them in this endeavor. I also want to write more about our homeschool journey as I get asked lots of questions about it and this is a great way to share!
The Best Homsechool Advice I Ever Received
The best piece of homeschool advice I have received actually came from a fellow blogger in the comments of a post early on in our homeschool journey. I wrote about using The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading and she was using the same book with her children.
Remember when people used to comment on blog posts? Yeah, that was nice. 🙂
The piece of advice I cherished and have held on to in that comment was to let go of my expectations that my twins may not pick up reading at the same rate. She said that currently, with her own twins, one was about 20 lessons behind the other and she had to let that go.
Oh, y’all….my twins!
I thought they would be so easy to homeschool. Two girls in the exact same level. I would just do the exact same thing with both of them and keep them on the same lesson so they could be taught together always…easy peasy. Ha! I laugh at even typing that out now.
My twin girls are nothing alike. In fact all four of my children are so different from one another. God made them that way and I love them each individually for the unique way God created them.
I had to let go of a lot of my expectations with homeschool and this was a big one for me.
This piece of advice taught me that I don’t have cookie cutter children. I have to teach them as four individual students with unique needs, not as one big unit. This isn’t always the easiest route, but it is the best route for all of us.
Here’s a short vlog I did explaining this a little more:
Teaching my children as the unique individuals they are has released me from a lot of frustrations and has given me freedom to make the best decisions for each of them. It has definitely made our homeschool experience more enjoyable. I’m so thankful for those wise words from Lora Lynn over five years ago.
My Advice for New Homeschoolers
1. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
You little students are not going to learn everything they need to know in one day or even in one year. Take this homeschool journey slow and steady.
2. Avoid comparison at all costs.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves to what our friends or even that homeschool blogger on Pinterest is doing. It’s easy to compare our children to their children, our curriculum to their curriculum, our schedule to their schedule, and so on. The thing we all have to remember is that we all bring uniqueness to our calling as homschool moms and teachers. We are not them! We’re not going to be them! So, we need to stop comparing ourselves to them.
I received a text from a friend last week who uses the same math curriculum that we do asking is we were on lesson #xxx. Immediately I began beating myself up in my mind because, no, we had not made it to that lesson number yet. Her reason for asking was not to compare, but because she had a helpful manipulative we could borrow when we got there. My family dynamics are totally different from hers…there was no reason for comparison and it’s a lesson I learned quickly that day.
It seems to be a lesson that I have to learn over and over again.
3. The best curriculum is the one you choose…make a choice and make it work for you.
I witness so many homeschoolers spending hours and hours researching curriculum and constantly questioning their choices. I have seen other homeschool families switch curriculums over and over again, convinced that the next one out there will be the *perfect* choice. There is no perfect curriculum. I think it’s important to make a well researched, well informed decision. But there comes a time when you just have to make a decision and go with it. Choose the best curriculum for you and then get to work making it work for you and your family.
4. Take care of you.
Homeschooling your children is no easy task. There are so many pressures and expectations, both from outside sources and from ourselves. Some days leave me completely exhausted and at the end of myself. My children need a mom that is energized and motivated. They need a homeschool teacher that is inspired to do her best. I cannot do this without taking care of myself. We need rest and we need to build into our own selves. Find…no not find…MAKE time for yourself and your own interests and your homeschool will benefit from that more than you can imagine.
5. Savor these moments with your children.
Step back from the long to-do list that may before you and look into the eyes of your little ones. They are why you’re doing this. It is more important to build into your relationship with them that check of any task that’s on your list today. We have them with us for such a small amount of time, savor this time and make the most of it.
Heather@To Sow a Seed says
Savor the moments. Oh my goodness, yes. I was just watching my now-graduated daughter teach her little sister to braid hair. Wasn’t that long ago that SHE was the little one …
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day says
As a runner, I love your first piece of advice! It’s so true! A marathon requires endurance, perseverance, nutrition , and when you hit the wall, more perseverance. Also a person cheering you on helps! and can we get a medal at the end? I think that the mom should get a medal at the child’s graduation! I like that!
Karla Cook says
What great advice! All so true! Thanks for sharing!