Discover Dos and Don’ts for Your First Year of Homeschooling

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If you are planning to homeschool your kids, you might be confused about where and how to start. The experience might be quite overwhelming for a few, especially during the first year of homeschooling.

Me as a single mom did experience before I started homeschooling my kid, and during the first year. Once, I started following a schedule and connected with other homeschooling moms, things were smooth, and we are happy with how the journey is going on so far.

Here are dos and don’ts if you plan to homeschool the kid for the very first time. Shall we get started?

Do make it a point to do your research

Homeschooling is a type of schooling that defies itself from the traditional approach of schooling. It can be an overwhelming thought for the parents to know if they are taking the right decision or not. Hence, you must make it a point to have a brainstorming session into different approaches for homeschooling. Try making a note of different types of curriculum patterns that are in use.

Don’t try figuring it all at once

Many moms feel unless they get the right kind of impetus with respect to homeschooling or online education, they aren’t ready to start off. You will eventually develop your own method of homeschooling as you figure out what your family’s needs are. Above all, you must devise strategies to understand what your kid’s learning styles are.

After making a thorough analysis of your family needs and your kid’s learning styles can you start homeschooling your children on a positive note. If you feel that you would go with the classically styled method of curriculum-based training, you can appoint web tutors to cover subjects. Though it is typical school-based learning, your child receives individual attention from tutors. He/she can get their doubts independently clarified.

Do make it a point to connect

As homeschooling moms, it is easier to feel as if you are left on a blind tight-rope walking. Experienced schools have qualified teachers and faculty members to help students throughout their learning. They schedule tests and assignments in sync with the curriculum the school typically follows. But here, you do not figure out what is what of stuff. To combat the issue, you can get connected with popular homeschooling communities.

You can browse the net and choose a community where most of the moms or dads belong to the area you reside in. You can discuss on kinds of curriculum that other parents follow. You can join via online meets, friendly co-ops, and tones of community events out there. You can also choose friends with whom you would love to interact with. You can organize play dates and swap ideas this way.

Don’t compete with other homeschooling families

You can organize healthy debates with homeschooling moms of the same community. But it is not a wise idea to compare between children of yours and ones belonging to another homeschooling family. Each family experiences the joy of online learning via its unique journey indeed. You should never compare one kid or one system of homeschooling methods with that of another. The healthier practice would rather be to learn from one another.

Do get actively involved with co-op meetups

Joining a reputed homeschooling community or an online community alone isn’t enough. You must show your active participation and raise your opinions as and when they are needed. Join an organized co-op that is well structured, vouches for accountability, and above all supports community. You may not find a co-op or online meeting community the moment you start homeschooling. It takes a little longer to get access to friendly communities or co-ops for home-schooling. Share a community that has people with the same thought process as you have.

Don’t have to visit all groups at once

However, overwhelming it sounds, it is not a wise idea to visit all groups at once. Find a community or a co-op that gives wonderful opportunities to open up. You must figure out what options a particular co-op can provide you with. You just have to visit a few groups to find out which one suits you the best.

Do make it a point to try out different curriculums

You can buy used curriculum via a sale organized by your local community. Or, you can browse through the local homeschool community’s email lists. This way, you will know various categories of homeschooling curriculum methods indeed. You could choose one pattern of the curriculum. If your kid isn’t happy or comfortable with the one chosen, you can declutter the books. Or sell them again. And then choose the next best one. It is all right to get rid of homeschool books that are not meant for you as such.

Don’t spend too much money on the kindergarten curriculum

It isn’t a wise idea wherein you spend tons of money on a curriculum that caters to kindergarten children. Some companies offer big box sets with the curriculum books, art and craft materials, and other supplies included via the kits. Getting these branded educational boxes have been great for some of the families I am aware of. Flintoboxes are great for the younger tots to shape their minds while the kid learns concepts in a fun-loving and interactive way.

For families who don’t want to spend too much money, you can get hands-on with companies that sell used boxes at a compatible price range. Preloved books like touch and feel, board books, and large print visuals are great ways on how you can start off. Just have an hour or two to tutor the kindergarten kids. Allowing them to play and interact can help them learn concepts at a later point in time with ease.

Do establish a schedule that can work wonders for your family

You can have a homeschool planner. Try covering all subjects during the week. You can feel free to include extra-curricular activities like gardening, painting, stamp collecting, and so on. Do attractive templates and have printed cards of the same. You can stick to a homeschooling planner and change it every week. Have detailed planning on the subjects, your kid would want to cover. You can plan activities accordingly. If you cover five subjects for three days, have a day dedicated to non-scholastic activities. This way, your child gets a holistic and all-rounded personality development.

Don’t overschedule

Do not stuff the planner with academic subjects alone. Your kids will get bored in no time. Have outdoor visits in between. Ask your kid how billing is done at the supermarket, or how does a bird peck at the grains to eat them? This way, you get a wonderful educational value from outdoor visits. Plus, you make the learning fun, interactive and unique.

Do get the direction right

As you start homeschooling the kids, you and your kid must move along in the right direction. You must stay positive in your outlook. As you move down the lane, you will find homeschooling more joyous and interesting too.

Don’t ever give up

You must never give up while you try homeschooling the child. You may want to enroll the kids back in school. While you do so, you end up confusing your kids even more. So, when you try homeschooling the kid for the first time, stick to it. No matter what! You will eventually discover the hang of getting it done the right way.

Final thoughts

These are the pertinent dos and don’ts for homeschooling parents who are homeschooling their children for their first year. Once you get it right, there is no looking back. Aspiring homeschoolers will always have something or the other new to try out. So, have fun out there!