Transitioning from private or public school to homeschool is going to be an adjustment for parents and kids. It’s going to be great in so many ways, but it’s important to have realistic expectations about what life might be like as you make the change.
Going From Traditional School To Homeschool
Every transition will have some bumps in the road – do yourself and your kids a big favor by accepting the fact that there is going to be some trial and error in your future. If you feel stuck or frustrated a few weeks or even a few months in, don’t be tempted to throw in the towel! Take a day off to do something fun together and evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.
How Much Time Does It Take To Homeschool?
Right off the bat, it’s really important to emphasize that you will not need to plan dedicated learning time for your your child for 6-8 hours a day. YAY! I’m sure your kids are having a yay-moment about that too!
Don’t stress about filling up every single minute of the day. It should only take a max of 3 hours to homeschool, but in the early years it’s possible to cover all the essentials in less than an hour! Kids need free time in their day and parents do too.
Most kids will likely take to free time enthusiastically, but sometimes when coming from a school environment (where almost every minute is planned out for them), kids might need to learn how to play alone.
One of the most incredible things about homeschooling is the freedom to do things however they work best for your family! During the transition it might help to have a rhythm similar to the one you followed before (aka start lessons right after breakfast in the morning), but if that was a point of contention for your family, change it up!
Addressing Pushback From Kids When Homeschooling
During the transition there might be some pushback from your kids. Try to understand the reasons behind it – is a particular subject frustrating them? Do they miss seeing their friends at school? Do you recognize your child’s learning style?
Tutoring is a valid option for homeschoolers struggling with a subject. It’s not admitting defeat and it doesn’t make a parent a bad teacher! Too often parents decide they can’t homeschool their kids because they just can’t teach them {insert subject here}.
Why throw out the baby with the bathwater? You don’t have to sacrifice the many benefits of home education just because one subject is throwing a curveball.
If your kids weren’t totally sold on the idea of homeschooling to begin with, that doesn’t mean they are destined to dislike it forever! Finding a homeschool group or co-op to meet with would likely be very beneficial. It helps to be around other families who live a different kind of normal.
Things Might Feel Overwhelming!
Some days things aren’t going to go the way you hope. Your kids will be grumpy sometimes. You will be grumpy sometimes. Rough days aren’t an indicator of failure! They are a part of the experience.
Taking over the responsibility of educating your child isn’t a small accomplishment – it’s a huge deal and it’s okay to feel a little overwhelmed by the idea of it. Just don’t dwell in the overwhelm! Acknowledge it, and then take things one bite at a time.
When it comes to a transition out of a traditional classroom and into home education, the key to thriving is to remember your family’s “why” and cling to it. On the rough days when you wonder if this was the right choice, take a minute to focus on why you started homeschooling. And eat a piece of chocolate too… it helps!
You might also enjoy:
- Things You Don’t Need As A Homeschooler
- Natural Science For Kids At Home
- Best Home Roll Lamination Machine
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Leave a Reply