A Homeschool Word of Encouragement
As a new year of homeschooling is well on its way, I wanted to offer a word of encouragement to start off the year. Some of us are new and some of us are seasoned homeschoolers. Wherever you are on your journey, we all can use some encouragement. After reading this, I hope you find reassurance and inspiration and are ready to take on a new year.
Something that is important to remember is your school day does not need to look like an institutional, 7-hour, school day. If you are just starting your homeschool journey, it can be hard to break the mindset that our kids need to have instruction all day. So much of institutional school is crowd control, breaks, lunch, and snacks. For homeschooling, at the elementary level, all your kids really “need” is 1-3 hours a day. Obviously, this is all dependent on your child’s individual needs, and what you, as the parent, feel they need. Keep in mind that these 1 to 3 hours each day are individualized instruction that they receive from you.
Secondly, it is perfectly okay to have rough days. They will happen and it is completely normal. Trust me when I say this, we all have them! In those moments, lean on your support, and more importantly, on God. He is our main support throughout our life and homeschool journey. Pray for patience, clarity, and wisdom as you teach and instruct your children. He will be your best source of comfort.
Lastly, as a parent, you are the best person to educate your child. No one in the world knows your child better than you. You do not need a degree or certificate. You are the best-qualified person to teach your children. Just the other week, a stranger in a store struck up a conversation with me about how school is starting. I explained how we homeschool, which then led him to ask me what qualifications I have to homeschool my kids. My first reaction was irritation, but that quickly faded because society is so uninformed and uneducated about homeschooling and state laws regarding it. I can’t get mad at his ignorance. I explained to the gentleman that in my state, as long as I am the parent and have my high school diploma, I am “qualified”. I am the best person to teach my children.
All of this to say, you are going to do great this year. You will have ups and downs, and that is okay! Make sure you have a group of friends or family who support you, that you can lean on. The most important thing to remember is that you are not going through this homeschool journey alone. God is with you every step of the way and he will not abandon you. Lean on him and he will guide and direct you the whole way!