Homeschool Sanity: Principle One
Principle One
No two years of homeschooling are ever the same.
Your children get older and change grades. Each child has a unique personality. What worked with one won’t necessarily work with the next (The Brave Learner, 203).
As you think about the coming year, think less about mastery and more about fine-tuning and tweaking. How can you meet the needs of these children who are new again this year?
It’s easy to think: Hey, I already know my children. I know what they like and don’t like.
What do we do with the surprises?
- Your quiet child may have a sudden burst of extroversion.
- Maybe the literature-lover decides she wants to be a dolphin trainer.
- Perhaps the one who hated math is obsessed with sewing.
Be a student again—discover who this child is this year. New opportunities for learning are here. Allow yourself to be surprised. Make adjustments as you go.
I recommend not buying all the curriculum in the summer. Get to know your children’s needs again in the fall. Make some purchases in December or January that reflect what you’ve learned about your kids during the early months.
Remember: even though a system or schedule feels reassuring to you, it may be overkill, may be too centered on what you need to feel comfortable, or may not grow with the child.
Lead with confidence, but embrace the surprises along the way. See them as a chance to enhance homeschool not as invalidations of your plan.
All 5 Principles
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Tags: Homeschool Sanity
