7 Things to Keep in Mind While Homeschooling

7 Things to Keep in Mind While Homeschooling ~
Written by Melissa Camara Wilkins

As I’m writing this, it’s June. My oldest kiddo just graduated from college. (!!!) My second oldest just finished his first year of college, too.

All six kids of my kids are home for the summer, and the youngest four will be homeschooling (still, again, always) in the fall.

So while we have this little break from regularly scheduled activities, I’m thinking a lot about what we want our next school year to look like.

I came up with seven things to keep in mind while homeschooling – the things I need to remember when we start school again, the ones that help me keep going when everything begins to go sideways.

Things always start to go sideways eventually, and I like to have a plan to keep me grounded.

7 Things to Keep in Mind While Homeschooling

1. Remember why you’re doing this.

Whether this is your first year or your millionth year of homeschooling, you chose this for a reason.

When I feel like I’m trapped in an alternate universe of math facts and peanut butter sandwiches, remembering WHY we’re doing all this helps me to stay focused on what matters (the kids’ curiosity, our relationships) and let go of what doesn’t (memorizing math facts according to someone else’s timetable).

If you need help to remember—or to find!—your deeper reason, try this.

2. Check your scripts.

The scripts we tell ourselves over and over again shape how we show up in the world.

Inevitably, this affects our perspective, attitude, and pours out into our homeschooling. Are you saying any of these seven things?

3. Just do the next right thing.

Sometimes everything works out according to plan and that is great!

But then there are other times, also known as most times, when the plan goes out the window. Here’s how we can do just the next right thing to keep moving.

4. Make an Enough List.

Skip the to-do list and make a list of what will be enough for today instead. It shifts your mind from feeling unable to keep up to knowing that you’ve done what matters most.

Want to hear more about that one? You can find the whole story behind the Enough List and how I use mine in my book, Permission Granted.

5. Focus on belonging first.

Making the time to be together and present matters more than checking things off the curriculum task list.

If the math doesn’t get done, but everyone knows they belong in this family, that is still a successful day around here.

6. Remember that some days are just hard.

Some days are hard, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

Simply put, things are just hard sometimes. Keep these words close by for hard days.

7. Everything will be okay.

It really will my friend. Things may not look the way you expected. Plans may change.

What worked yesterday might not work today.  As long as you keep paying going back to what you and your family needs, in the long run, it really is all going to be okay.

I hope that you are able to remember these seven things not only during the school year, but also this summer. Let this list be there for you whenever you need encouragement and comfort as a homeschooling parent – you’re doing better than you think!

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