Have you wanted to start homeschooling your children but feel overwhelmed by the idea? If so, you are not alone. But most parents quickly realize it is far easier than what they originally thought.
Here are 7 steps to begin your homeschool journey.
Step 1: Know Your Why
Take time to write down why you want to homeschool your children. Understanding your why will give you a foundation to lean on as you begin this journey.
Step 2: Research How
Research the different homeschool ideas and philosophies and see which one appeals to you. But don’t spend too much time. You and your children get to make homeschooling what you want, and you will change it as your child grows.
Step 3: Start Small
You don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin. Homeschooling involves trial and error and that’s okay.
Step 4: Relax
Learning is supposed to be fun. So, don’t stress out trying to recreate public school in your home. Let the kids sit on the floor. Let them go do a cartwheel after every math problem.
And give yourself some grace. It is not going to be perfect every day.
Step 5: Find a Community
Find a group for you and your children to join. These groups let your children build friendships, and it allows you to meet other homeschool parents. These relationships can be valuable as your children age and have new learning needs.
Step 6: You Don’t Have to Homeschool Full Time
Homeschooling isn’t an all or nothing method of learning. In Utah, you can have your students enrolled part time in the public schools, or you can simply have them enrolled in one or two classes. There are many microschools designed to support homeschool families.
Step 7: Understand the Myths
You should understand that there are a lot of myths out there. Get used to them because people will bring them up all… the… time. So, when you hear them, just smile and listen. You can have a good laugh about these with your new homeschool friends.
Don’t Wait
Homeschooling your children is extremely rewarding. It builds strong family relationships and allows you to customize your child’s learning.
You can do this. Your children will thank you.
