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7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 7 best budget-friendly homeschool language arts ideas to pair with your unit studies.

Through the years, I’ve given the same long-standing advice. Spend first what money you have budgeted for curriculum on the core subjects. They are essential to a well-rounded education.

7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

This is a sponsored post for Homeschool Buyers Co-op and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Read my full disclosure here.

And its reading in the younger grades and literature in the older grades. Too, grammar and writing are vital pieces of a homeschool language arts program.

And it can become expensive quickly when you’re implementing the unit study approach using an all-in-one language arts program.

So, I was excited to share some budget-friendly homeschool language arts curriculum options.

Breaking down the language arts components worked best for me because like most kids, they are ahead in one subject and may need more time on another.

Mapping Out the Components of Language Arts

Picking and choosing the individual parts of a homeschool language arts program gives you a customized curriculum.

It’s a better match for your child’s learning style and a better value when you have a limited dollar amount to get exactly what you need.

►VOCABULARY

For vocabulary, I always try to pull words from what we’re reading about in our unit studies. Reading words in that context and using them in everyday speech is the best way to master them.

But I used the printed version of Wordly Wise 3000 with Mr. Senior to be sure I exposed him to word study as a way to enhance our unit studies. Kids can master more words than we think they can, and to cripple their vocabulary with limited vocabulary instruction can be detrimental.

Lessons don’t have to be long, but they should be comprehensive. Using Wordly Wise 3000, I can expand lessons or cut back according to each son’s need.

    1. WORDLY WISE

    Although I know Wordly Wise 3000 touts that the audio feature is great for struggling readers, I think it’s great for independent learners. I don’t have to supervise my sons to see if they are correctly pronouncing a word.

    I know you’ll love it if you’re looking for an interactive vocabulary program that is not boring.

    2. LITERATURE ADVENTURES FOR KIDS

    Then, literature adventures for kids is my VERY favorite stand-alone self-paced online language arts program. Pair a great book with your unit study.

    Are you a busy, sweet, overwhelmed homeschooler craving a consistent, dependable language arts curriculum that adds a little enchantment to your homeschool? We help homeschoolers just like you reclaim their time and reduce stress with our open-and-go courses that turn every lesson into an adventure

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    When I started making my own unit studies, I would get a gallon size ziploc bag and put the book and literature guide together in one bag.

    3. PROGENY PRESS LITERATURE GUIDES

    Then, I would mark the reading level on the bag and organize them for the year, and I started off using printed versions of Progeny Press Literature Guides.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Too, I would even unfasten the literature guide so I could add just the pages that my boys needed to do for that year.

    HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

    I printed what I needed that year with one son, and printed a different page or pages needed for another year.

    Now, the guides are interactive which means you don’t have to print; a child can type his answers directly into the document. That is a nifty time-saving tip for a high school teen with a rigorous academic load or a reluctant writer. But sometimes we like to hold our paper in hand so we print. And I still like pairing specific lessons on pages to themes in my unit studies.

    Look at a few things they offer:

    • FOUR LEVELS – Lower Elementary for Grades K-4, Upper Elementary for Grades 3-5, Middle School for Grades 5-8, and High School for Grades 9-12
    • 100+ TITLE CHOICES – We’ve put together SIX different 5-pack bundle choices for you! YOU CHOOSE your wish list from OVER 100 TITLE CHOICES! Choose from excellent reading titles such as Beowulf (*NEW*), The Eagle of the Ninth (*NEW*), Charlotte’s Web, Anne of Green Gables, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Secret Garden, The Hobbit, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, The Screwtape Letters, To Kill A Mockingbird, and MANY, MANY MORE!

    ►GRAMMAR

    Grammar is a tool to best apply while writing so I’ve always kept it a separate subject. But grammar is also just the rules of any language. Teaching rules shouldn’t be complicated. Short lessons are best, which is why Analytical Grammar works.

    4. ANALYTICAL GRAMMAR

    In my beginning years, I used a grammar program which combined complex writing assignments with grammar.

    After homeschooling another 5 years, I realized that a grammar program should focus only on explaining grammar rules without time-consuming composition assignments as the only way to learn them.

    Yes, writing assignments are a great way to illustrate grammar rules, but shorter is better.

    Besides, I needed a grammar curriculum which would give me the flexibility to pull writing themes from topics that piqued my boys’ interest in our current unit study. More important, I wanted a program that helped us to use words in a way that conformed to the rules of grammar. I wished I would have used Analytical Grammar, for grades 4-12 earlier, but I’m glad I hopped on board when I did.

    ►WRITING OR COMPOSITION

    Next, identifying a writing program which was engaging for my sons and took them incrementally through the writing process was not easy. Institute for Excellence in Writing, for grades K-12 was our answer.

    Melding Homeschool Language Arts and Unit Studies

    It was a huge load of stress off after separating grammar and composition when I started using Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    As you can see in the picture above, the boys were working on our FBI unit study. Dad was helping the boys make a crystal radio after they wrote about it.

    However, their essay followed the writing model learned in Institute for Excellence in Writing or (IEW). IEW makes it easy to choose your own topics to write about or they have writing topics for your children to choose.

    What I liked the most is that although grammar and writing are inextricably linked, it’s important to not overwhelm beginner writers.

    5. INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING (IEW)

    The veteran teaching tip is to make one skill or the other the focus at different times. IEW explained grammar while keeping the focus on writing and modeling to my sons how to compose their ideas.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Here is how IEW works: It takes a unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity.

    They will learn nine structural models (note taking, writing paragraphs, stories, simple reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques) to help them organize any type of composition.

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    Then, buying living history literature guides gives me a two for one deal.

    Not only do I use living literature in my unit studies as a topic or theme, but it counts as the reading or literature aspect of the three Rs. Buying living history literature helps me to keep homeschooling affordable.

    6. BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS (HISTORY & LITERATURE)

    With living history literature by Beautiful Feet Books.

    Remember, since this is living literature, the vocabulary is not simplified, and it may be harder for some kids.

    Though I school for Biblical reasons, I don’t think you have to teach about it in every book.

    I do try to choose living history books which have a good story line, are intriguing, have a challenging reading level, include details about the time period, and can be easily implemented in a unit study which builds character without feeling preachy.

    It’s a lot to ask for in a book. I’m selective, but I love starting with Beautiful Feet Books.

    ►REVIEW AND ENRICHMENT

    Then I hear about the fear of gaps when doing unit studies. Having a way to fill in gaps or shore up weaknesses is a great feature of IXL Language Arts Practice, which is for grades K-12.

    You probably heard of their math, but their language arts is equally practical.

    7. IXL LANGUAGE ARTS PRACTICE

    Look at what they offer: IXL makes the world of words come alive with fun visuals and interactive questions. Build great writers through playful skills that pique students’ curiosity about language!  

    Then this next deal, which is Discovery Education, for grades K-12 is the one I’m about to pull the trigger on because we love media with our unit studies.

    8. DISCOVERY EDUCATION

    But did you know it’s so much more? It covers every content area.

    Look at what you get:

    It’s easy to see why homeschoolers rave about Discovery Education Streaming Plus and probably the most extensive and feature-rich educational video streaming service in the world.

    But it’s not just a collection of videos that you can watch from beginning to end. This library has been organized into useable video clips, organized and categorized, close-captioned, and supplemented with lesson plans, teaching guides, interactive simulations, images, audio resources, and other resources and materials that you can incorporate into virtually every aspect of your homeschool curriculum.

    What a comprehensive way to enrich a unit study with so many features like audio books, self-paced training, images, games and the ability to customize lessons at your fingertips.

    When you’ve chosen curriculum which gives your child a solid foundation in language arts and covers the significant areas, you can spend more time planning the fun part of unit studies.

    MORE HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

    How to Buy It

    Products:

     ►Grammar: Analytical Grammar for grades 4-12.

    ► Self-Paced Language Arts for all grades: Literature Adventures for Kids

    ►Literature Guides: Progeny Press Literature Guides, pdf format, grades K-12

    ►    Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000

    ►Composition or Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12

    ►    Review and Enrichment:

    Video Streaming: Discovery Education grades K-12

    Language Arts Review: IXL Language Arts Practice, grades K-12

    ►Reading or Literature:

    Living History Literature: Living History literature by Beautiful Feet Books

    Also, look at these other homeschool articles to help you.

    5 Best Resources to Start a Homeschool Unit Study in a Few Hours, 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom and Unfolding of a Homeschool Unit Study – An Easy Mnemonic { I-SIP}.

    Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

    Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


    Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    It’s not easy transitioning from public school to homeschool. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter for more tips and resources.

    Afraid of messing up their child for life, new homeschoolers feel that having a strict schedule and having school from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. is the road to homeschooling success. 

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    New homeschoolers transitioning from a public school mindset to a relaxed homeschooling lifestyle have a hard time wrapping their minds around the concept of relaxed homeschooling.

    I admit I was one of those homeschoolers. Relaxed was one shade off from lazy. I was quite judgmental. It was ugly and I admit it!

    Unless I kept my boys busy with a schedule every part of their learning day, we would not be meeting my standards for success so I thought.

    From Relaxed to Rejuvenated Homeschooling

    First, look at some of these books about homeschooling.

    5 BEST How to Homeschool Books

    I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.

    It can take years to embody the definition of relaxed homeschooling.

    Some homeschoolers even confuse relaxed with unschooling. Because they may want to follow more structure, they’re hesitant about adopting relaxed homeschooling.

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    Don’t wait years and miss out on adding the vital element of relaxation to your day.

    Take a look at some of these points that will help to hone the definition of relaxed homeschooling.

    Relaxed homeschooling works with every approach.

    Relaxed homeschooling is not an approach, but it is a lifestyle.

    This means that you don’t have to give up your homeschooling approach, but it does mean that whatever homeschool approach you follow, it needs to be examined.

    For example, determine how you can make your approach more relaxed and less rigid.

    Transitioning from a Public School Mindset

    If you follow a unit study approach, can you make it more relaxed by doing math all together one day?

    Normally, math is not a subject that can be done with multiple ages, but you want to find a way to step back. Relaxed means to rejuvenate your day. Choose one day and read a living math book to all your children.

    Instead of focusing on the math worksheet you missed for the day, focus on the feeling that math becomes a subject that a child can love instead of dread.

    If you follow the classical method of homeschooling, can your language arts one day be about each child narrating back a story he loves?

    Transitioning from a Public School Mind-Set to a Relaxed Homeschooling Lifestyle @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Forget the physical act of writing one day and encourage your children to use their vocabulary building skills by using new vocabulary in an oral story telling setting.

    If you follow the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling, can music involvement for the day be a physical act of interpretation like dancing?

    Some of this will obviously depend on the ages of your children. Anytime kids can act out something to be learned, it was more memorable and captivating.

    Define what is education for your family.

    One of the first things you want to do when starting is to define what is education for your family. Does it include art, living books, textbooks, hands-on learning, life skills or all of them?

    Beyond thinking about worksheets, most new homeschoolers don’t give pause for even a moment to look clearly beyond the present to the future.

    The importance of this cannot be stressed enough.

    Learning should not be just about filling a child’s head with knowledge, but it should be a part of living that is delightful and pursued lifelong. It’s about equipping a child for adulthood.

    How will your family do that in a relaxed atmosphere?

    Look beyond how things are presently done either in public school or in your present homeschooling journey to see what YOU want to change to make it better for your children.

    Jump headfirst into understanding your child’s learning style.

    No matter how much I talked to one homeschool mom whose present homeschooling approach was not working with her son, she was not going to change.

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    She was just sure there was something wrong with her child.

    There was — he didn’t learn how she thought he should. Really, the problem was her.

    Tears and fighting followed and she made her homeschooling journey one miserable day after the other because she refused to change her teaching style.

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    When our child’s learning style doesn’t mesh with our predetermined way of teaching, are we willing to change our teaching style?

    How to Kill Boring Homeschooling Days

    Relaxed homeschooling means to change the way we think homeschooling should be and make it fit our child.

    I had one son who loved textbooks and workbooks because some subjects he preferred to learn that way.

    I have another son who cried in agony when he glanced at a textbook.

    Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    Should I think that I had less rigorous standards with my second son because I added in living books and more hands-on? Was that just fun or was it relaxed for him?

    Brow beating our children to make them accept our teaching style instead of accepting them as they come, pre-wired to learn in a certain way, never worked.

    Finding what is best for your child is relaxed homeschooling.

    Relaxed homeschooling means that we accept when changes have to be made in our homeschooling.

    Changing our homeschool approach and giving up curriculum when it’s not obviously working for our family while not stressing out over the price we paid for it are signs that we have softened in our homeschool journey.

    Can you think of other ways where you can introduce a more relaxed attitude into your every day?

    More Transitioning From Public School to Homeschool Tips

    6 Boy Approved Books Which Spark the Love of Reading

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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    I have six boy approved books today. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter for more tips.

    Not wanting my boys to be among the boys-who-hate-to-read statistics, it was a challenge in the beginning to keep my boys’ enjoying reading.

    I had a LOT to learn about how boys learn.

    Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I’m hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys.

    3 Boy Mom Reading Tips

    Now that I have lifelong adult son readers, I know you’ll benefit from these three simple, easy, and tried and true reading tips.

    1. Quit thinking like female teachers.

    I know, it sounds crazy because homeschool stats reveal that a majority of the teaching is done by moms.

    It’s hard to not think like a woman when you are one.

    Where am I going with this?

    The point is we add to our son’s dislike for reading when we try to use the books we loved as a girl to spark a boy’s interest.

    My boys didn’t connect with a lot of the books I loved as a girl.

    When I started homeschooling, I felt like I had a diversified reading diet growing up, but it didn’t include a lot of topics boys liked.

    6 Boy Approved Books Which SPARK the Love of Reading!! Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I'm hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys. CLICK here to look at this short but TRIED and TRUE List!!

    Sure, some of the books were the same ones I loved like Where the Red Fern Grows and The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

    But I had to expand what I thought were appropriate topics to read about.

    2. The Hero or Heroine Matters.

    Although boys love to get lost in a world of fiction too, relating to the hero matters.

    It’s hard for boys who are struggling to read to relate to a sentimental girl.

    At the time my first son was struggling with a love of reading, unless the girl was mischievous or a tomboy, it wasn’t easy for my boys to understand the sentiment.

    Too, a lot of boys, including mine, develop slower.

    Their maturity rate is different than girls.

    They don’t necessarily see themselves in a place through the eyes of the character, so you have to be sure they do.

    Instead of trying to read between the lines, my boys needed to understand the why of a point directly.

    Finding a solution to the problem was more paramount than understanding exactly how a character felt.

    A story line with male role models no matter the age was a good starting point in helping my sons identify with people who are like them.

    3. Boys LOVE Pictures.

    Boys are not ready to move away from pictures as fast as girls may be.

    Realizing that significant fact, I was so grateful for the Great Illustrated Classics series.

    True, some of the pictures are not like the comic books that boys love, but pictures are still pictures to boys.

    The size of the print mattered to my first reader too.

    The bigger the better in the beginning.

    Until he felt comfortable and was hooked on reading, we just kept on reading most of the books from the Great Illustrated Classics series.

    I never worried whether the books were abridged or unabridged until I hooked my reader.

    Out of all the books I used for my boys to hook them on reading they narrowed down their favorites to these 6 choices to nurture a love for reading.

    1. Where the Red Fern Grows
    2. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (Great Illustrated Classics)
    3. Invisible Man (Great Illustrated Classics)
    4. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
    5. Shiloh
    6. Stone Fox

    One or more of these books or series should give your boys a taste of boy approved books, but more important they’ll nurture a love of reading.

    A book list doesn’t have to be long to work; the book list needs to be focused on what boys can relate to.

    I’ll be sharing more book lists that have worked for us through the years.

    Does your son have a favorite book or series that worked to fan that tiny ember to a raging love for reading?

    6 Boy Approved Books Which SPARK the Love of Reading!! Sharing these 6 boy approved books which spark the love of learning, I'm hoping that one or more of them will flame that ember to read in your boys. CLICK here to look at this short but TRIED and TRUE List!!

    You’ll love these other tips:

    How to Cope Successfully With Homeschool Mental Stress

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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    Homeschool mental stress is real. Also, look at my How to Homeschool page for more tips and resources.

    Jumping into homeschooling with ways to reduce negative mental stress is crucial because homeschooling takes a toll on your mental health.

    Having tried and true techniques at your finger tips is absolutely essential to coping with homeschool mental stress; the power of a mental hygiene homeschool routine can’t be underestimated.

    How to Cope Successfully With Homeschool Mental Stress

    I’ve learned to accept happily that struggling and being stressed doesn’t mean that the homeschool lifestyle is not worth it.

    For my family, it has been a superior way of education.

    How to Cope With Homeschool

    The right view of stress, which is that not all of it is negative, is necessary to categorizing the type of stress we encounter in homeschooling.

    5 BEST How to Homeschool Books

    I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.

    There is good stress and there is bad stress.

    There is no way to eliminate stress totally from our life because stress can be an energizing and motivating force to do school day in and day out successfully.

    The release of energy, the highest sense of accomplishment, and the gratifying feelings deep down in our gut we get when we teach our kids to read, to cook, or see them positively engaging with adults is hard to explain to those that have not experienced it.

    10 Tips to Manage Homeschool Stress

    However, today I’m not talking about the good side of stress. 

    We don’t talk enough about the bad kind of stress which can take over our mind, affect us, and affect those we love.

    If you haven’t lived our homeschool life it’s hard to know what we experience day to day. 

    Look at these 10 tried and true tips that have worked with me as I’ve homeschooled over the past 20+ years.

     1. Lowering your expectations is NOT equivalent to lowering your standards.

    In many ways homeschooling back before all the devices exploded on the homeschooling scene, which are suppose to free up our time, was easier than today.

    We didn’t have so much content thrown at us; we weren’t bombarded with information overload to wade through.

    Pushing back and resisting the urge to cover every possible facet of a subject has not meant lower standards in learning.

    How to Cope With Homeschool Mental Stress. Jumping into homeschooling with ways to reduce negative mental stress is crucial because homeschooling takes a toll on your mental health. CLICK HERE to grab them!

    My sons high college grades prove otherwise. I view myself as a normal home school mom who didn’t always push her kids academically.

    I was consistent each day and that was key to lowering the stress for the day and not overloading my mind with worry if my kids were performing well enough.

    If you find that you keep piling expectations, extra subjects, or longer homeschool days on you and your kids ask yourself is it worth it?

    2. Step away from the online world and into the real world.

    One of the best ways to help me rejuvenate quickly is to be around close friends or family and stay completely off my phone and off online.

    Do you remember the time when we all didn’t carry phones? Some people had to actually wait for a reply.

    As much time as I spend on my blog and online schooling for my kids, I realize that I’ve always had intermittent times when I’m completely away from the online world.

    I find myself with instant calm for my mind when I have face to face conversations with warm individuals. It reminds me that slowing down for day to day interaction is the key to a healthy mental hygiene.

    3. Do simple physical activities. I do mean simple.

    Don’t get me wrong, if you want to knock yourself out at the gym go for it.

    My problem is that it takes me a while to recover from strenuous workouts and then it defeats my purpose in easing my mental stress. From there I go to worrying about what has not been done for the day.

    What I have found that works for longer periods of time or through the years is a simple nature walk. To this day, I still take nature walks even in my neighborhood. I think doing it at the crack of dawn and seeing the sun rise sets the right tone for my day.

    I’ve always been an early morning person, but if you’re not a morning person the evening sun or night skys is just as gorgeous. I have no favorites.

    Being outside reminds me of what is important each day, it fills up my tank when I have to deal with others especially my kids, and it just reminds me to be grateful I’m alive.

    4. Easy activities with the kids eases mental tension.

    I always read about self-care and getting away from the kids. While this is true on occasions, the truth of it is we homeschool because we love being with our kids.

    Not every solution involves isolation. When I feel overloaded I change our plans for the day.

    A simple walk or hike with kids, an all day reading day, or even something simple like watching a movie are all easy activities that can ease mental tension. A shift in focus, rest, or stepping back are all options depending on your needs.

    Sometimes it’s just not possible to be alone and when you can’t, take steps now to have ideas in place for when you need a different pace.

    Besides, you are also modeling to your kids how to cope with days that are mentally taxing.

    5. Add humor in big doses throughout the day.

    There are many reasons to laugh during the day while homeschooling.

    If you’ve taught for any length of time, you know your kids say funny things, think funny things, and do funny things.

    Treasure those moments and don’t forget to laugh when it’s time to laugh.

    It’s a quick fix to alleviate stress in the air and your kids will love the stress free atmosphere you create. Better yet, write down all of those funny sayings in your planner and come back to them.

    I also save pictures in one file of funny things my kids did and I have some picture of myself that ares absolutely awful while homeschooling which I would never share with the homeschooling world.

    But every time I look at them, I laugh so hard it’s hard to stop. It keeps me balanced of how I view myself.

    6. Do we really NOT have time for a hobby? Count the mental cost.

    I was wrong when I started homeschooling because I gave up some of my hobbies. Okay, my thinking was a bit off. It took me years to find balance; I hope it doesn’t take you that long.

    My thinking was off because when I thought of a hobby I thought of something that gave no value. A hobby could keep you from doing the more important things if it’s not kept in balance. Why do we think it has to be all or nothing?

    How did I adopt such an extreme view? I know it was to prevent me from not giving attention to what I needed to do each day which is to be sure my kids get the best education I can give them.

    From Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle

    Again, I try not to go too hard on myself because I had set the right priority.

    Balance is the key to doling out increments of time doing something I enjoy whether it’s photography, cooking, or blogging.

    Not thinking about the teacher mom at present, but about the person and woman I am has always revitalized me.

    You’re the only one to answer to if you have become unbalanced with your hobby.

    At times, depending on the level of stress in my homeschooling, I’ve needed more time to step back and focus on who I am. Other times, not so much.

    Avoiding critical judgments of how others spend their time off from school helps.

    There is no time to be critical of others when you homeschool positively and care for your mental stress.

    7. The power of 15 minutes for a shift in focus.

    I mentioned earlier that unless you experienced our homeschool lifestyle it can be hard to appreciate the tips. I know oh so well how at times we just can’t get away from our kids.

    When I had that time period in my journey, I had to learn the power of a 15 minute shift in focus.

    If your kids are old enough to be left alone or to go to another room for that long, then implement that daily tip.

    I set the timer on my stove because it was the loudest and because my boys could run into the room to see how much more time was left. It was an easy timer for them to read.

    Of course I explained to my kids they didn’t have come into the room to see the timer and that they would hear it.

    Staying in their room was a game in the beginning because they wanted to be near me to see what I was doing. However, the more I did it, the more they enjoyed it and stayed in their room or another room to play.

    Also, looking back, I realized I also taught them how to have a pause in their day for relaxed mental time. This world can be extremely stressful and our kids need tips as they grow too.

    Whether you decide to lay down and read, bathing (if you can), or just do nothing, you decide. Don’t keep engaging your mental person when it needs rest.

    8. Your spouse or a trusted friend are priceless.

    We know that we do a majority of the homeschooling, but if your husband is like mine, he’s interested in how you’re coping.

    Don’t shut him out because he may not understand completely.

    Just relaying to my husband what I have been dealing with helps me to articulate it orally and I find it refreshing to get it out of my mind.

    I’m all for date nights if you can.

    One more technique that my husband and I have implemented is although we may not be able to get away from the kids, we make time to talk alone and teach the kids to respect that time.

    Time alone with my husband while the kids were present became absolutely necessary as each kid hit the teen years and we had to deal with unique stressful situations.

    We had already implemented daily or weekly management of that type of stress.

    9. Organize it, throw it out, and kick it out.

    Another huge mental release for me is being able to clean, organize, or kick clutter to the curb. This is especially good if part of your mental stress toll stems from a cluttered home.

    Don’t ignore your need for a more efficient working area.

    Homeschooing is about teaching kids how to cope with daily life.

    So many homeschooled kids are not taught that taking time to organize is as imperative as doing their school work. Is this because some homeschool families don’t view it as essential?

    It’s unbalanced to do a whole workbook of math while kids live in a monumental mess.

    Why is being good at math so much more important than being a person that people want to be around as they grow into adults? I would never want to live with anyone that didn’t pick up after himself. I want my kids to be the kind of persons that others can roommate with or live with.

    Did I mention they are? If you find that your mental stress comes from a cluttered home, then STOP homeschooling and declutter.

    You’re not getting behind on homeschooling when you clean, you’re getting ahead of it.

    10. Make time for the little things. Chocolate, chat with a friend, get out of the house, or listen to music.

    Lastly, make time for what refreshes you mentally.

    Creating time to soothe your mental health needs to be part of daily management of homeschool mental stress.

    Whether you find a bit of milk or dark chocolate helps bite by bite, a chat with a close homeschool friend which understands your feelings, getting out of the house, listening to your favorite music, exercising more, or doing like I did one time binge watch a Netflix series, they all count.

    Make Daily Stress Management Part of Your Routine

    Accepting the fact that I can’t do all I want to do and having daily routines has helped me to cope with negative stress.

    Learning how to say no to things I can’t be involved in and recognizing stress triggers like avoiding explosive personalities in my homeschool world helps me to manage too. Some people bring unnecessary stress on themselves and those around  them.

    Have tips ready at your fingertips for when you need a mental break; your journey should be memorable for the right reasons.

    How to Cope With Homeschool Mental Stress. Jumping into homeschooling with ways to reduce negative mental stress is crucial because homeschooling takes a toll on your mental health. CLICK HERE to grab them!

    What mental coping techniques do you use?I know you’ll love reading these other ways to empower your sticking ability to homeschool:

    Hugs and love ya,

    Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

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    Why my homeschooled kids are not given the choice to go to public school sounds harsh. Also, you’ll love more tips on my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

    Also, extreme homeschooling or parenting is not my style.

    However, I do strive for being a balanced parent, which I feel is much more challenging than setting fast and hard rules.

    Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

    I had loving and balanced parents and still maintain a close relationship with them.

    Let me back up and explain first that your childhood affects your current parenting and homeschooling style.

    Oh sure, my parents made their fair share of parenting mistakes, like any parent will, but extreme, dictatorship-like decisions based on my parents’ personal whims was not one of them.

    True, I realize not all parents are good parents and then a child from that type of family who may have been dictator like wants to restore balance when they are parents.

    But in the quest to restore balance, parents can inadvertently give a child the idea they have as much experience as the parent.

    Communicating lovingly to me and often why I couldn’t do something was always foremost in how my parents modeled to me.

    Good Decisions are MODELED Not Wished For

    Switching back to present day and helping many new homeschoolers, I noticed a common trait among some parents.

    Some parents beginning to homeschool want their child’s approval regardless of age to homeschool.

    And yes of course a child’s age has a lot to do with this but maybe not. More on this in a minute.

    Through conducting thousands of workshops in person, (my courses are online now) I noticed some homeschool parents bring negative patterns of their parents’ parenting or lack of it to their current homeschool.

    It’s true homeschooling and your learned parenting patterns are inextricably linked.

    Too, I’ve homeschooled long enough to know that public school and homeschool are two VERY different approaches.

    See my post The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home in how I help others see two DIFFERENT ways to educate.

    In addition, I’m not saying homeschooling at all costs either. Some simply do not have the circumstances although they want to homeschool.

    Back to parenting. Wouldn’t you agree that balanced parenting is harder to achieve than laying down arbitrary rule making

    Look at some of the common mindsets that I have avoided and/or adopted which worked for me in helping my kids see that homeschooling can be a superior education.

    ONE// I don’t think a homeschooler is called to homeschooling.
    I do feel that homeschooling is THE BEST choice for ANY child.

    Besides the obvious low teacher ratio, homeschooling is about choice of schedule, choice of academics, real life experiences, and an overflowing amount of enriching activities.

    Which family doesn’t deserve to have a shot at that?

    I do not think only certain families are called to homeschool, but all families should have the option.

    However, just because homeschooling is the best method for every child to learn, it doesn’t mean everybody has the circumstance to.

    Good is not wished just upon some and others not.

    The bottom line has been that because each year I had the circumstances to homeschool.

    I knew it was the best option for any child, a life changing decision was not given into the hands of a child who may thinks he misses a friend or two.

    TWO// Homeschooling is similar to the mindset needed for a lifelong commitment.

    Marriage calls for a heavy commitment up front when you don’t really know your future husband until you start living with him no matter how long you dated.

    Jumping into marriage without trying to find out as much as you can about your husband is not wise by any stretch of the imagination.

    More Resources for Why My Kids Are Homeschooled

    Also, look at some of these resources I have for you and my book too.

    5 BEST How to Homeschool Books

    I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.

    Making a marriage work is hard, but thinking in the back of your mind that divorce is an option or a way out makes the effort put forth in the beginning meager and utterly defeating.

    And yes, many have had to escape a bad marriage but too it’s easy to give up if you want to separate at the first sign of trouble.

    Both of those commitments required HARD WORK and success just doesn’t happen.

    Homeschooling is similar to that type of  commitment in marriage.

    Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School

    You need to focus more on how to make homeschool work.

    And not dwelling on returning to public school .

    This requires a resolute determination, a belief in the homeschool approach, knowledge (which is gained) and focused energy.

    Decision-Making Ability is a Gradual Process

    It’s easy to assume that all of our homeschool years are going to be sunshine and rainbows, but you and I know that is a lie.

    Like most teens, mine too have gone through times when they too buck the decisions my husband and I make.

    Our process to help them has always been the same and we did this by:

    1.Listening to my boys without interrupting them or telling them they can’t feel that way.

    They should have their own opinions and our decision for them to not have the choice to go to public school doesn’t deprive them of how to gradually start the decision-making process.

    When boundaries are created a child or teen has a safe environment in which to learn.

    2. Explaining the reasons why they don’t have a choice to go to public school.

    Your reasons may vary, but a few of our reasons usually went like this; this is a superior education, society has changed and we want our influence on you, your course load in high school can be lighter or heavier, you have more time for a social life instead of caged, you can have a job earlier, enjoy an apprenticeship, be free of bullying, be free of the atmosphere of drugs and savor freedom.

    THREE// Let’s talk teens, rebellious years and even single mom homeschooling.

    3. Acknowledging that we are capable of mistakes. Too, let our children know all decisions are made out of giving our children the best.

    4. Finding the solution or fixing the problem. For example, if one of my boys felt like he was missing out on friends, then I MUST fill that need. And you know that unless you decide to homeschool under a rock, activities are endless for kids.

    Matter of fact, finding other boys their age was a problem in our homeschool and I created a thriving co-op. Out of that co-op, my boys have lifelong friends.

    They also wanted to be with other homeschooled teens more, so they took art lessons, and ballroom dancing.

    I didn’t stop there, I planned movie trips and outings for boys and I planned for 2 or 3 field trips per month instead of our usual one. Yes, w

    Single mom homeschooling is also more prevalent today and because homeschooling can be flexible to a mom’s work schedule, many single parents are lapping up that freedom.

    When we give our kids the option to return to homeschool a mindset can set in where they think that something better exists, when in fact we are giving them the very best!

    Why unnecessarily place defeat in front of you or your children?

    Additionally, teens vary on their maturity. Just because a teen reaches a certain age doesn’t mean he or she is capable of sound decisions.

    I’ve helped many parents pull their teens out of public school because of drug problems, bad friends, or just because the teen is worn out or worst bullied.

    A teen still needs a parent who is loving, caring, and balanced and they need it now more then ever before.

    Be Willing To Work Hard as the Homeschoool Educator

    While true, it’s important to listen to your teen it’s better to have your teen in a safe environment so their confidence soars.

    Here are some do NOT:

    • Don’t use the return to public school as a threat. It may give your kids the wrong impression of people who have had to use public school. Besides threats and intimidation is not a way to parent.
    • Don’t keep asking your children if they miss school. They are only going to tell you what their limited experience has been and they do not have the ability to make life changing decisions.
    • For sure don’t ask a homeschooled teen if he thinks he should return to public school. Problems will not get better when he is away from you, they only go below the surface for a while to reappear.
    • Don’t think a child has to experience bad or experience public school to appreciate good. If that seems to be the case, focus on how to help them appreciate what they have. Appreciate means to hold in high value. Attitudes and actions prove appreciation or lack of it. A return to public school doesn’t build that in children.

    Leave behind rigid and unbending rules, but set your homeschooling up for success by creating boundaries for it.

    Why My Homeschooled Children Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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