Want to know some of the best beginners homeschool tips that a lot of us homeschool parents wish we had when we first started out?
Entering the homeschooling world for the first time can feel SO overwhelming but it does not have to be. Here are some helpful beginners homeschool tips that will help all of you new homeschooling parents gain a little perspective and hopefully put your mind at ease!
Helpful Beginners Homeschool Tips
1. Know Your “Why?”
The first and most important thing you should do when just starting out on your homeschooling journey is sit down & get crystal clear about your “Why?”
Ask yourself:
- Why am I homeschooling?
- What are my values?
- What do I want my family to take away from this experience?
- Are there specific goals I would like to reach?
The answers to these questions will get you through the rough patches and difficult days. Once you have your “Why?” you will always be able to revisit your list & remind yourself of why you started down this road in the first place and maybe even add on to it as time goes on. This was one of the golden homeschool tips that I’d come across on YouTube and it made a world of a difference!
2. Give Yourself and Your Littles Lots of Grace
One of the most difficult things I had to do as a new homeschool mom was have patience with myself. When just starting out it is VERY easy to put way too much pressure on yourself to excel at something that is new to both you and your babies.
Coming into this I thought that I would have it all figured out in record time and things would just go smoothly…however, this was hardly the case.
You have to allow yourself the space to stumble and make mistakes and learn along the way. It takes time to find your footing as you and your family enter into a new world of learning and experiences. So, forgive yourself daily.
It’s also really important to remember that just as this is completely new to you, it is also new to your littles. Everyone is trying to adjust, so allow them the time & space to adapt to their new normal.
3. Your Homeschool Does Not Have to Mirror Traditional School
For whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to get the idea out of my head that our homeschool had to look EXACTLY like their former traditional school. From our schedule to their curriculum down to the overall look of our classroom.
You have the absolute freedom to make your space and your family’s experience look however you would like for it to look. Because you are now the teacher, the principal & the school board of your home.
It’s important to note that the traditional classroom setting & structure does not have to be the standard. For many of us, the public-school approach to learning does not work and isn’t exactly beneficial. There are better approaches to learning, and no one knows what is best for your child more than you do.
Rarely in a traditional classroom with tens of students, are teachers able to fulfill each and every child’s individual needs, and although I’m sure that many of them would change this if they could, unfortunately, they are limited to how much they are able to do for each of their students individually. You, however, are not so you have the privilege of setting the standard.
You get to make whatever changes you feel are necessary to cater to the needs of your littles.
Do away with any preconceived notions you had about how homeschooling should look and get creative! It will be far more enjoyable for both yourself and your littles that way!
4. Decide on Your Homeschooling Style
There are several styles of homeschooling that I recommend researching to figure out which one best suit your family’s needs:
- Traditional
- Classical
- Eclectic
- Charlotte Mason
- Unschooling
- Deschooling
- Gameschooling
- Unit Studies
- Montessori
In the beginning, I had absolutely no idea that most of these even existed, I was under the impression that the traditional style was all there was.
I have met families that have participated in most of these styles and each of them has been successful. My littles and I have done both the Deschooling and Traditional styles. Take the time to look into each of them to get a complete understanding before deciding.
It’s important to note that there will always be different strokes for different folks. I’m not a fan of looking down on someone else’s style solely because it isn’t necessarily a good fit for your family. Everything isn’t for everyone, and that is okay. Use your own discretion, and whatever you choose, choose it because it’s what you and your children want and not what the internet wants!
This is one of those homeschool tips that would have made things SO much easier for me starting off because I was literally all over the place!
5. Choose the Right Curriculum for YOUR Family
If you decide to go with a more traditional style, then you will be faced with the decision to decide which curriculum(s) you will be using for the upcoming school year.
This is the one homeschool tip I REALLY needed in the beginning. Because I don’t know about you but the one thing that brought me the most anxiety about homeschooling was choosing a curriculum. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of them and everywhere you turn someone is telling you what curriculum is the “absolute best” and why you should or shouldn’t choose a particular one.
Yeah, no. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to tell you what curriculum or homeschooling style is best for your home.
Here are some questions I recommend asking yourself before choosing a curriculum:
- Do you want a faith-based curriculum or a secular curriculum?
- How many children will you be homeschooling?
- What is your homeschooling budget?
- Do you want a free curriculum?
- Will you be homeschooling temporarily, or do you plan to homeschool long-term?
- Is there a certain type of curriculum you think you and your children would enjoy?
- What are your children’s learning styles?
- Which subjects are your strong suits & which subjects are your weak points?
- What subjects would you like to be more hands-on with?
- Do you prefer online or physical curriculums?
- Do you prefer rigorous learning or a more laid-back curriculum?
- How much time do you have to allocate teaching?
- Does the curriculum have a return policy?
- Would I prefer a curriculum with an answer key?
- Do you prefer testing or no testing?
Sit down with paper and a pen and go over these questions. You don’t necessarily HAVE to answer them all but doing so will really help you to narrow down all the options that are available. Getting it written down will also help you get a plan in place and will work as a resource that you’ll be able to reference in the future.
Many curriculums provide sample pages and trial runs to give you the chance to test it out and see if you like it before making a commitment.
Do not be afraid to change the curriculum. Oftentimes the process of choosing the perfect curriculum for your family will be trial and error, this is when return policies come in handy.
6. Set a Reasonable Schedule
When it comes to your schedule, no one knows your other responsibilities and obligations more than you do. It’s important to set reasonable expectations with your daily schedule. Not only to prevent burnout for you but also to prevent your littles from becoming overwhelmed and stressed.
Initially, I went into believing that their schedules had to be as long and as packed as it was when they were in school, and I quickly realized that that was just not going to work for us.
It’s going to vary from person to person, but I highly recommend starting off slow and getting your feet wet in the homeschool pool first. If you feel like you can jump in head first, that’s fine too, it just depends on what you are most comfortable with.
I’ve never been the type of person to be strict about a schedule and it showed when I began homeschooling, I was a bit TOO lenient. Now, I prefer to use it as a guide to be sure we stay on the right track, but I still allow things to flow and if they don’t exactly go as scheduled I don’t lose any sleep.
While some moms may prefer to stick to the schedule without any variations in their day. Either way, whichever way you choose to set up your schedule, just be sure to choose a routine that is most realistic for your family.
Taking Breaks
Allow time for breaks in between lessons, this will be good for both you and your littles. Whether that is recess, snack time(our favorite), nap time, etc. You will all appreciate the time to unwind & regroup.
7. Take This Time to Build a Better Relationship with Your Littles
The most eye-opening part of this journey is realizing just how much time I was missing out on my children’s childhood while they were away at school. Like many children, they would spend half of their day at school. At this time I was working outside of the home so they would go straight to daycare, and we wouldn’t get home until after 7 pm. We’d then have a late dinner and do it all over again the next morning. I did not want that for us.
Through homeschooling, you will find that being their teacher you are able to spend far more quality time with them. This becomes a perfect time to learn each of their learning styles, watch them blossom in their creative processes, and build an even closer relationship with them that you really couldn’t while they were in school.
It begins to feel as though you’re getting time back that you would have lost had you not begun this journey.
8. Take It One Day at a Time
This one is self-explanatory, pace yourself. Take it one day at a time. Get what you can get done that day, & do not be afraid to make changes. I got myself in the habit of not thinking about the weeks & months ahead to avoid overwhelming myself. I set long-term goals but would not get bent out of shape if a few days didn’t go as planned.
I’ve made it a priority not to bite off more than I can chew.
Move things back if need be. There is NO RUSH. The most important thing is that they are absorbing what they need to in whatever time frame you have set for them. Sometimes we may even have to adjust our expectations of their milestones.
This experience should be enjoyable for all of you. Leave room for fun in your day!
9. Find Your Homeschool Support Circle
As one of the well-respected women in the homeschool community told me, “Find your tribe.” Whether it’s a Facebook group, YouTube, local homeschool groups, Clubhouse, etc. Many of us homeschool mamas believe that it’s SO important to have a support circle when homeschooling.
Some women have support from family and friends which makes an amazing support system. But for someone like me who doesn’t have much support in person, I took to finding my tribe online and I am so glad that I did!
Connecting with women who know what this life is like and what comes with it brought me so much confidence! I was able to communicate with other novice homeschoolers, seasoned homeschoolers & parents who were homeschooled as children who now homeschool themselves. This probably helped me more than anything else starting out. It’s because of a lot of these ladies that I am even able to provide you with these homeschool tips.
I’ve learned a TON from the like-minded women I’ve met throughout this journey. Don’t be afraid to get out there and connect with other homeschooling mamas. You’ll be surprised what you might learn!
10. Do Not Compare Yourself to Other Homeschoolers on Social Media
This may be one of my favorite homeschool tips & I CANNOT stress this one enough. I believe every last homeschooler has done this at one point or another. It is so easy to get on YouTube, IG & Pinterest and see the beautiful classrooms, impressive book collections, expensive school supplies, meticulous organization methods and find yourself discouraged.
DON’T!
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” What other people have works well for them, but that should not make you feel a way about what you have and what you can do.
Homeschool Within Your Means
Everyone cannot afford the latest and greatest homeschool materials and the most expensive curriculums. This takes away nothing from the experience you are able to provide your children. There are so many ways to homeschool on a budget.
Initially, I found myself trying to keep up with what I had seen others doing when I just simply could not afford it. And for a moment I allowed that to make me question my capabilities as a homeschooler.
This frame of mind helps no one, especially your littles. Provide what you are able, and don’t worry about the rest. The options are endless for parents looking to homeschool on a budget, or for free. And in times such as these, this includes a lot of us.
You are more than capable! And don’t allow anyone to make you feel otherwise.
11. Enjoy Every Step of Your Journey
Lastly, whatever your reason is for choosing to embark on this journey, enjoy it! This will no doubt be one of the most fulfilling experiences for you and your children. And be proud of yourself for making such a big decision! Watch the way you and your family grow together as you make your way through this new chapter of your lives!
This post was about 11 beginner homeschool tips that will help you mentally prepare yourself for the journey ahead. I hope that this post helped to ease any concerns you may have had about homeschooling. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions!
If you have any other helpful homeschool tips you’d like to share, please feel free to comment below or you can contact us here Contact!