Kody Hanner
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You only get one chance at providing a positive homeschool
“You only get one change” can sound like a scary statement, especially if you’re a new homeschool parent. Creating a positive homeschool can be easier and more fun than you think. Am I referring to one chance to teach them something? Yes. Am I referring to the time I spend with them? Yes. Am I talking about curriculum choice? Yes!
What I am not talking about though, is any guilt that you’re not doing it right! Because you are. Just doing it makes a positive difference. Even if you pull them from public school and are struggling at first, it pays off. I was that mom at first. I thought we would never get over that hump of transitioning. But we did and we are better for it. A big help was decompressing from the public school mindset.
One chance at teaching them something
I really want to emphasize that I’m not saying you get one chance to teach your kids to read, so don’t mess it up. I’m just saying it doesn’t have to be a regimented sit at the table and drill phonics into them for 8 hours a day. Wouldn’t you rather sit in a recliner with them and work through a program so that they feel safe reading instead of stressed? This is how you can implement a positive homeschool experience. Reading will continue to be a comfort for them and something they look forward to in life rather than dread or tolerate. It doesn’t matter what curriculum or method you use. Really when it comes down to it, they all work. And guess what? If one doesn’t work for you, pick another one.
Which brings me to my next point.
One chance for a positive homeschool curriculum
You only get one chance to teach them to read, just like you only get one chance to teach them algebra (hopefully). There are so many curriculums out there, if a curriculum or program isn’t working or you don’t see your child thriving, choose another one. When I suggest this, I am not referring to behavioral issues, unless you are sure they are directly related to a curriculum.
I have a child that has O.D.D. (oppositional defiance disorder). This made it extremely difficult to decipher weather each curriculum was a good fit, or if his goal was to have no curriculum be a good fit. However, further down the road there was a history curriculum that the kids really enjoyed for a couple of years. Then eventually they got bogged down by the number of projects and asked to try something different. I simply pulled history from our day, spent about a month looking over a few different options, and got everything together. By the time we started the new program, they were excited to get going. So much so that a month into they are readying their history text for fun on the weekends!
You only get one chance to spend time with them
One of our main reasons was to be able to spend more time with the kids after my husband got sick. Luckily, his disease has stopped its progression and possibly even regressed. This made it where we have been able to have some amazing experiences! Many days that didn’t include sitting at a desk. It included hiking, fishing, navigation, plant identification, foraging, hunting, historical landmarks, farming, small engines, gardening, community service, literally the list is never ending.
Many who are concerned about transcripts or time requirements use student planner pages and journaling to show time credits for life skills learned during quality family time. Everything doesn’t have to be in a textbook, and if you want a guide there are so many books on every topic that can easily be turned into lesson plan.
Some of the references and apps we have tried
Positive Homeschool Experiences
Am I getting too soft in seeking a positive homeschool experience?
As a stickler for hard work and a solid education I often ask myself or get asked if I’m not providing enough of an education. Well, like many homeschooled students, my kids are where they need to be academically and even advanced in many topics. They can converse with adults on advanced topics and can handle many different scenarios. Taking my one chance with them to strive for a positive homeschool experience has actually made them more excited learners.
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