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Day 23 When Your Child Hates Homeschooling And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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

Today is day 23 when your child hates homeschooling of the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

Turning to a serious note, I want to address one more mind-set that could potentially debunk your smooth new beginnings.

And that is the attitudes of you and your children toward your new lifestyle.

Not long into your journey you may hate homeschooling. Your children may hate homeschooling.

Day 23 When Your Child Hates Homeschooling And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp #hateshomeschooling

So, this week is called “When It Happens” because I want to arm you with some positive thoughts that will help you to sail past any feelings of pestering doubt.

Also though it can feel flat out defeating when your child hates homeschooling.

First, it is normal to come down off the homeschool honeymoon.

First Time Homeschooler

Crazy as it sounds, homeschooling is like a honeymoon and similar to how your life changes after the wedding.

Everybody looks so good dressed up in their best on their wedding day and the start of anything new is beautiful and memorable.

However, day to day routines and chores set in and it is about cooking, working and cleaning.

Beginning to homeschool and settling in to a new routine is similar.

The new books have lost that delightful new smell and now you question if it was a good fit in the first place.

Your room, your routine and your reading program don’t look as good as they did when you first selected them.

school bus little dear does not want to homeschool

New Beginnings Homeschool

However, that only compounds the feelings of inadequacy if your children also tell you that they hate homeschooling, miss their friends and want to go back to school.

Now your journey calls for sheer grit and an iron will.

Over the years, I have had many homeschool parents tell me that since their children are missing their public school friends that they were returning to public school.

Even though I feel that my face may show my utter disbelief that a child of any age is dictating his future, I can say thankfully I have never responded in a negative way.

10 Questions When Your Child Hates Homeschooling

The truth of it is, we all need to self-analyze and be prepared to answer mind-numbing questions like these:

  1. When does a child determine what is best for him?
  2. Who has been given the responsibility to train and educate a child, even a teen?
  3. Can I change something about the way I teach so that my child is more engaged? Is this the missing component in our homeschool day?
  4. Have I loitered too much at home when my child obviously needs friends?
  5. If I have driven myself almost insane by having my child participate in socialization activities, then is my child’s attitude an obedient one toward the decision that his father and I have made?
  6. Has my child fallen victim to the faulty thinking that friends have to be their same age? Or have I?
  7. Are the friends that my child may have left behind at public school and their parents the kind of people that I would treasure for my child for a lifetime? Would they encourage my son in the paths of goodness?
  8. Instead of ruling with an iron will, can I show my child that I am open to his needs, without him thinking that the has the right to determine what is best for him at 10 years old or 17 years old?
  9. Do I keep asking my child if he is missing his friends, and by inference he is thinking that he missing out on something?
  10. Do I TRULY believe that I am giving my child a superior education and show it by my actions and commitment?

As you can see homeschooling a lot of times becomes more about parenting or the lack thereof, which makes this a very delicate but sober topic to bring up.

Here are some tips that I have found that work over the years when others have said their child hates homeschooling.

5 Empower Yourself Tips When the Little Dear Doesn't Want to Homeschool @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

5 Tried and True Tips for First Time Homeschoolers

If you or your child hates homeschooling, look at my five tried and true tips below.

1. Do not threaten to send your child to public school.

From the beginning of your journey, do not use the thought of returning to public school as a way to entice a child to do his work or change his attitude.

From my experience and as unintentional as we may mean it, a child may feel they he has been given a choice and is on equal footing with us.

Even teens need to understand that they are not co-parents.

2. Your attitude matters more than you realize.

The attitude of the parents mean more to your child than you realize.

For example, if you are constantly asking your children if they miss their friends, well meaning as you are, could you be planting a seed of doubt that your new lifestyle is not superior in every way?

Creating doubt fosters dilemmas.

3. Go gentle with your child as they now see you as teacher.

Sometimes it is not homeschooling that is the negative, but children may now resent you as the teacher.

This happened to me when I took Mr. Senior 2013 out in Kindergarten and I still had to retrieve back my status as teacher from a 5 year old.

Children are smart at a very early age and it takes time for them to now respect you as the teacher.

You don’t need their approval.

4. Homeschooling is a different way of learning and is hard for some kids in the beginning.

There is no sweet cake way to put it, but homeschooling can be flat out hard. Studying is more than finding an answer or superficial reading.

It is about comparing, analyzing and tying it into something your child knows.

Some children are not prepared for studying the depth of any subject.

Up until this time, your child may have had many interruptions in class time.

Short spurts of critical thinking in a classroom cannot prepare your child for the possible challenges of intense 1:1 help he now gets.

Day 23 When Your Child Hates Homeschooling And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

When my sister’s daughter started homeschooling in the 3rd grade, they had crying matches each day.

My sister was pushing too hard to “complete” a day’s assignments and my niece was feeling quite behind from what she did not know. A lethal combination leads to misery.

I cannot emphasize enough that if she had gone with a lower grade level for her first year instead of pushing ahead thinking that her daughter would get behind, her first year would have been way more easier.

5. Children deserve explanations. It’s one thing to give explanations, but quite another to make lifelong choices.

Dignifying your children with explanations is a beautiful thing because they deserve it.

It is okay to tell them your plans, hopes and even fears, but dignifying them with information does not mean they have the right to question your choices.

I made it my determination from the beginning that if anything controversial ever came up and my children wanted to return to public school that I would do whatever it took to not have that happen.

And that children have to experience bad to appreciate good is not thinking I aggre with. I don’t have to cut off my right arm to appreciate my left.

They do not need to experience the negative effects of peer pressure, drugs and immorality to appreciate good.

New Homeschooler

I never left it up to my sons to determine if they wanted to go back to school. When you child hates homeschooling, it’s never easy to hear.

However, whatever the reason, take time to listen to your child and make right what you can.

Of course, this is different if you start homeschooling when your teen is already in 11th or 12th grade.

That is a very different circumstance and I am not saying they get all the final say so as to the decision.

It never is easy when the little dear does not want to homeschool and decides he wants to return to public school.

Fortifying yourself now with the mind-set that homeschooling is YOUR way of life will allow you to embrace it’s benefits.

I am not encouraging homeschooling without regard for your children’s tender feelings.

But it is about finding a solution that does not involve returning to what you left in the first place because it didn’t work.

Instead of focusing on what you think your child is missing out on, focus on what you and your child will be included in and NOT just for this year, but years to come.

Homeschool with a goal in mind that goes beyond your first or second year and when the dear decides he doesn’t want to homeschool, you will already have a back up plan in place.

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

1 – 7 Start with the Homeschool Basics

8-14 Homeschool Organization 101 for Beginners

15 – 21 Best tips for New Homeschoolers Choosing Curriculum

22- 28 Homeschool Preschoolers, Highschoolers, and Unique Learners

Day 23 When Your Child Hates Homeschooling And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp #hateshomeschooling

Hugs and hang in there if this happens and know you are not alone,

but the dear doesn't want to homeschool

National STEM Day – Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects

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

If you’re looking for DIY stem projects, you’ll love these ideas for National Stem Day.

What is so great about STEM?

A STEM activity is one that incorporates one or more of its components.

  • Science,
  • technology,
  • engineering, and math in a learning activity.

Stem is hands-on which is always a great method for learning.

National STEM Day - Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects

It teaches children about science and technology, problem solving, critical thinking, curiosity, accepting failure, initiative, flexibility, creativity, innovation, and so much more.

It has its place in your homeschool whether you are an unschooler, Charlotte Mason, classical, or eclectic family.

Careers in STEM

There are many fascinating careers in STEM that your child might be interested in-

  • Computer Sciences
  • Software Developer
  • Web Developer
  • Mechanical Engineer
  • Statistician
  • Mathematician
  • Actuary
  • Accountant
  • Cartographer
  • Aeronautics-aviation, aerospace, and astronautics
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environmental Science
National STEM Day - Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects

This isn’t even an exhaustive list just some that jumped out at me.

Popsicle sticks are an amazing homeschool tool.

And you have probably used them for art projects but have you ever considered their many uses as a STEM tool?

They open an amazing world of possibilities for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In addition, they are inexpensive, very versatile and easy to get your hands on.

It’s a great idea to keep a bunch on hand in different sizes for all sorts of projects. 

Jumbo ones are fun and oversized.

    And Rainbow popsicle sticks add a little flair and color to your projects.

    Too, standard popsicle sticks the backbone of most diy stem projects.

    More STEM Resources

    If you want to put together a STEM kit for your young scientists, mathematicians, or  engineers to tinker with these are a few more great items you might want  to add to your supplies.

    First, look at these LED lights.

    Next, add copper tape.

    Too, rubber bands are important.

    Binder clips, rulers, pipe cleaners and lithium batteries.

    National STEM Day - Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects

    Finally, look at these STEM ideas.

    13 Fantastic Popsicle Stick STEM Activities

    1. Medieval Catapult. Try this Medieval catapult using the oversized jumbo craft sticks, catapults are a great lesson in force, mass, and acceleration.
    2. 100 Brilliant STEM Activities Using Everyday Items.
    3. STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity
    4. Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction. Teach your child about potential energy turning into kinetic energy and chain reactions by giving them the tools they need to create an exploding chain reaction.
    5. Popsicle Stick Gears. These are a great way to learn about mechanical concepts, simple machines, motion and force. This is a great basic project to use as a springboard for more advanced activities.
    6. Craft Stick Crossbow. Not only is this tiny crossbow fun but it teaches physics lessons in force, energy, motion, trajectory and projectiles.
    7. Rubber Band Powered Boat. Launch this lesson on potential energy on the water. Popsicle sticks and rubber bands are all you need.
    8. STEM and Geography: How to Build an Ancient Viking Ship
    9. Rubber Band Powered Car. Same concept but on firm ground rather than the water. Use the stored potential energy in the tightly round rubber band to launch a car
    10. LED Flashlight. Explore circuits, positive and negative charges,
    11. Newton’s Cradle. What a fun way to learn about kinetic energy with Newton’s Third Law of Motion. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Kids love that clickety clack perpetual motion
    12. Truss Bridge With Craft Sticks, The STEM activity of building bridges gives your child a hands-on opportunity to learn about engineering through weight distribution, gravity, changing loads, and tension.
    13. STEM Ferris Wheel. Enjoy a turn on a popsicle stick ferris wheel that introduces axles, problem solving, creating symmetrical sides, and engineering with a fun activity.

    How to Easily Match the Homeschool Classical Approach With Learning Style

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

    Today, I’m showing you how to easily match the homeschool classical approach with Homeschool Learning Styles.

    And knowing  that a classical approach is where families put emphasis on learning from ancient minds of the past allows you make the right choice for your family.

    How to Easily Match the Homeschool Classical Approach With Learning Style

    Further, here are some characteristics of the classical approach.

    Look at four characteristic of the classical approach are

    1. There is a heavy emphasis on learning ancient languages like Greek and Latin.
    2. Language arts is a main subject.
    3. History is learned chronologically.
    4. Too, education focused on history of the Western Civilization.

    What is a Classical Approach

    I’ve read and used many definitions of what is a classical education through the years.

    However, simple definitions are best.

    And one simple definition of classical education is that it’s not image focused but language focused.

    Much time is spent on communication of words, both oral and written.

    How to Easily Match the Homeschool Classical Approach With Learning Style

    In addition learning is patterned after the way a child’s mind matures and is divided into 3 stages.

    The first stage is the elementary stage which is called the grammar stage. Kids this age love learning rules and lists.

    And the second stage which is middle school is called the logic stage. At this age, children start to think more analytically.

    Last, the third stage which is high school is called the rhetoric stage where children learn to write with originality.

    Additionally, one of the best books I’ve read about classical education is The Well-Trained Mind.

    How to Match Learning Style with the Classical Approach

    As you can see, if you want your kids to have intensive language arts focus then you want to follow the classical approach.

    However, matching learning styles to classical approach is not as easy.

    As the parents we may have goals, but the way our child learns may be different.

    For example, if you child learn better by images, then you may only be able to incorporate certain parts of the classical approach.

    In addition, children who have a learning style of learning through hands-on may not do well with classical education.

    The classical education approach does not tout a hands-on learning style approach.

    For example, a child who is very book-ish will flourish with classical education.

    Children who love words and language arts focus on writing and reading as subjects without being prompted.

    However, it’s important to know what is your child’s learning style.

    Why Your Child’s Learning Personality is Important

    Because teaching styles are only part of choosing curriculum easily, I’ve included a link to my online course Identifying Your Homeschooled Child’s Learning Personality.

    How to Determine the Best Learning Style Approach for Your Child? Determining the best learning style approach is much easier when you know about homeschool learning styles. A learning style is not something I thought about when I started homeschooling or even when my kids were struggling. However, had I taken time to learn what is the best learning style for each of my children, I would have saved myself unnecessary stress.

    YOU WILL LEARN:

    • How to understand the way your child prefers to learn so that you can teach him in a way that he enjoys learning;
    • How to pinpoint your child’s learning personality;
    • A starting point in understanding (barring any special learning challenges or disabilities) and accepting your child’s preferred way of taking in information;
    • Understanding when the learning personality emerges; and
    • Teaching tips for each learning personality to stop the head-butting.
    How to Easily Match the Homeschool Classical Approach With Learning Style

    Other Homeschool Learning Style Resources

    Free Easy Arctic and Inuit Science Lapbook & Unit Study

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

    This easy Arctic and Inuit science lapbook for multiple ages is another one to add to your lineup of lapbooks for the winter season. Too, you’ll love the Arctic and Inuit unit study too.

    Whether you’re looking for a unit study and science lapbook about the Arctic, the Inuit, or animals of the Arctic and even a blubber activity, you’ll find one on my page.

    Free Easy Arctic and Inuit Science Lapbook & Unit Study

    Like most of my unit studies and lapbook, this Arctic and Inuit lapbook is for multiple ages too.

    Also, I’ve included ten notebooking pages in this download as well.

    Arctic Inuit Science Lapbook

    Too, look at these free minibooks in this download for the Artic and Inuit.

    • About the Inuit and Art 6 pages notebooking
    • Animals of the Tundra 5 pages notebooking
    • Meander Book about Arctic Animals – 4 pages
    • Circle Arctic Map – 2 pages
    • Flags for Salt Dough Map – 3 pages. The instructions for making these cute geography flags are on the page.
    • Vocabulary Words about the Arctic – 4 pages
    • The Land that Never Melts Cover 1 and Cover 2
    • People of the Arctic – 3 pages
    • Inuit Snow houses – 1 page
    • Food, Clothing, Transportation of the Inuit – 4 pages

    Also, I have a winter unit study and lapbook to add to this unit study.

    Winter Season Unit Study. Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas

    Finally, add to this lapbook some of my hands-on ideas here too.

    Other Winter Hands-on Activities

    Hands-on ideas make any topic come alive.

    Look at some of these ideas below.

    And other homeschool lapbooks.

    Free Easy Arctic and Inuit Science Lapbook & Unit Study

    Besides, I have enough lapbooks you can create a science curriculum for a whole year with my lapbooks.

    Other Homeschool Lapbooks

    You’ll love my other lapbooks for multiple ages.

    And I have many nature lapbooks too.

    Free Easy Arctic and Inuit Science Lapbook & Unit Study

    How to Get the Free Arctic and Inuit Lapbook

    Finally, how to grab the free 34 page lapbook and notebooking pages. It’s a subscriber freebie.

    That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

     1) Sign up on my list.
     2) Grab the freebie.
    3) Last,  look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

    Day 22 Homeschooling Preschoolers And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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

    Today is day 22 homeschooling preschoolers of the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

    You’re tough, you’re tough! You have hung in there with me on this series and this is the official 10 day countdown.

    Before I started homeschooling I had read an article where it said that the major portion of an individual’s personality is well established before school.

    Day 22 Homeschooling Preschoolers And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

    Suddenly, my ideas of homeschool preschool learning changed because I realized that those years would form the very attitudes and patterns that would be lasting. WHOA!

    And I had thought preschool was all about coloring and ABC’s.

    Certainly, homeschooling preschoolers is so important because it’s the very foundation of all future learning.

    Homeschooling Preschoolers

    I knew that if I didn’t find a balance between easy going and exacting that anxiety, doubt, worry and fear would drive me to the public school. Guess what? It did.

    Doubt turned to fear, fear turned to feelings of failure and feeling he was already behind in kindergarten, I sent him to public school for part of that year.

    Let me tell you the rest of this story by telling what I did and did not do before I sent him to Kindergarten.

    I did

    • teach him how to write and read by Kindergarten.
    • play, do crafts and learn music.
    • keep the roads hot and heavy by traveling to all kinds of field trips and museums.
    • sing nursery rhymes to him.
    • read from beautiful books and cuddle every day.

    I did not

    • know, let alone worry about standards because I was blissfully ignorant about any kind of standard.
    • use a formal curriculum program. Brighter Vision Learning Adventures is a box that came each month to my home with a bright colored workbook, a craft, a book and music.  Mr. Senior 2013 loved it and I loved it too. It no longer is in business.
    • worry about socialization because we had music classes and gymnastics.
    • stop worrying about what is coming up in the next grade and this led to me sending him back to public school.

    Looking back now and after the first few days of public school Kindergarten, I realized that he was way advanced.

    Tips for Homeschooling Preschoolers

    It’s true that children are hardy, I just wished that I would have aimed for soaking up cherished moments.

    I didn’t know Kindergarten was about learning to read and write. I put extreme pressure on Mr. Senior 2013 to perform.

    What I have learned is that preschool is just that!! PRE- means BEFORE school.

    That is the time to focus on “readiness” skills. That is NOT the time that our children learn to hold a pencil grip correctly, but that is the time to train them to hold it correctly.

    This is NOT done by holding a pencil, but by playing games, being outside and doing crafts that help them learn fine motor skills.

    Children are capable of so much more during these years than we sometimes give them credit for.

    Burnout out looms in Kindergarten or first grade because “formal school” started way too earlier.

    You have to let go of the feeling that your child will be behind because you spent the day doing crafts, playing and reading and that surely there should be something more “serious” that you should be doing.

    It is not easy to combat the thinking of the education world that early teaching has to be formal. Children learn by play.

    There is a reason we learned all those fun nursery rhymes and that is because memorization and hearing word patterns is a skill set need for reading.

    How to Homeschool Preschoolers

    Mustering up the courage to take my son back out of school during his Kindergarten year was not easy, but I had learned a VERY valuable lesson.

    No longer would I question what I done even in my ignorance.

    The struggle empowered me to put faith back into the naturalness of homeschooling. I know not everyone homeschools for faith based reasons and I respect that in my workshops.

    For me though it is the very core of my homeschooling.

    Parents have been given the responsibility of educating our children and viewing it as the next extension of parenting helps you to meet the challenge.

    During their toddler years and preschool years I have rocked, talked and cuddled and read to my sons and it has given them an excellent start to their formal education. Homeschooling with preschoolers is not for the faint hearted, but home is for the brave.

    Will you meet the challenge?

    Have you missed any of the previous post on this series?

    New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

    1 – 7 Start with the Homeschool Basics

    8-14 Homeschool Organization 101 for Beginners

    15 – 21 Best tips for New Homeschoolers Choosing Curriculum

    22- 28 Homeschool Preschoolers, Highschoolers, and Unique Learners

    In addition look at these other resources for homeschooling preschoolers.

    Other Homeschooling Preschoolers Resources

    Finally, look at some of these curriculum resources.

    Curriculum For Homeschooling Preschool

    12 Homeschooling Preschoolers Resources, Activities, and Curriculum

    There is no doubt play-based learning is hands down the best way for preschoolers to learn.

    You'll love some of these resources which can help you both teach and schedule if you want to do a bit more formal teaching.

    Save

    Day 22 Homeschooling Preschoolers And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
    Day 22: Homeschoolers with Preschoolers - Truth or Dare?