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First Time Homeschool Mom: Am I Doing This Right?

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

To the first time homeschool mom, gaining confidence to take control and learning how to shape your journey are priority.

Quickly, I’m going to show you the most valuable how-tos, but there are a few important things I need you to know about me first.

This IS about you, but it’s important for you to know where this tried and true advice is coming from so your foundation is stable, solid, and works for the long-term.

Don’t set up your homeschool course on wild guesses, but on what works.

Although you get the benefit of my numerous years of homeschooling (well past 22+ years) and successfully graduating three homeschooled teens, I have also successfully mentored new homeschoolers.

First Time Homeschool Mom

For ten years, I conducted workshops in person with new homeschoolers.

That experience is priceless in knowing exactly what you need now and what can wait until later. Right now, everything may seem important, but organizing your priorities is how to successfully make it through your first year and beyond.

Look at these SOLID 5 steps for new homeschool moms which you may or may not know.

Step 1.
Know What IS and What IS NOT Homeschooling

(don’t buy curriculum yet)

Wait! Don’t buy curriculum.

Also, be sure to watch my videos on my YouTube channel. Look at What You REALLY Need to Know When You Begin Homeschooling.

I want to save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars by you knowing what is and what is not homeschooling.

Many first time homeschool parents have a very narrow view of what is education and to many it looks a lot like public school.

Although, I’m not telling you to throw caution to the wind, I’m saying you need to know if you’re truly homeschooling or just following the public school model at home.

With Covid present now, new homeschoolers are getting a clearer picture of what is public school at home. However, many are not sure what is homeschooling.

Look at this quick list of 4 ways to identify the homeschool lifestyle; you want to fully benefit from the voluminous information about homeschooling.

Tips for First Time Homeschoolers

  • The BIGGEST difference from knowing if you’re just changing the geography of where your child learn is who is in CONTROL. Yes, YOU want to be in control of your time, your curriculum, your approach, and your schedule. This doesn’t mean you can’t get all the help you need from curriculum with daily lesson plans. However you decide what is best for your family instead of an online public school official deciding for your kids. For a more in-depth explanation, read The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home.
  • Homeschooling means that you can use ANY means available to you to teach your child and not just workbooks. Look at 45 Ways to Define Homeschool Curriculum – Is Your Definition Holding You Back to expand your definition. Use the resources you already have available.
  • Homeschooling or learning takes place many times outside four walls and not in front of a computer always. Again, you decide based on your family’s need.
  • Homeschooling means that curriculum doesn’t teach anything, but that YOU do. It’s not as scary as it sounds. The scary part is choosing which laid out curriculum to use. You have lots of excellent curriculum choices which take you by the hand and are great for new beginners. Here is a Big Ol’ List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed) which has subjects laid out day by day.

After getting a pulse for what is truly homeschooling so you benefit from the freedom, you need to know your homeschool state laws.

Step 2. Not Just Know Your State Law, But Know How to Meet It.

(don’t buy curriculum yet)

It’s quite easy for me to tell you to go look up your law, but that does you no good when you’re not sure how it works day to day.

I have a list of different state laws I created on my Facebook Group. It not only has homeschoolers from each state explain the homeschool law, but they also give you practical how -tos on how to meet it.

Too, you can find the homeschool laws on HSLDA by clicking on the map for your state.

IF you don’t have facebook or need more help to know how to meet your state law, email me, PM me, or comment here and I will help you to understand it.

Step 3. Learn that Homeschool Curriculum is Organized by Homeschool Approach.

(don’t buy curriculum yet)

Next, this step is the most overlooked of ALL the steps and it’s the one that is the most sanity-saving tip for the first time homeschool mom.

Conquer the overwhelm of choices in the homeschool world by knowing that curriculum is organized by homeschool approach will save you tons of grief, time, stress, AND dollars. Believe me, take a bit of time to read them and know them.

I know you’re eager to get started homeschooling, but the worst mistake you can make is to use a resource which brings you daily stress.

Homeschooling for Beginners

Learning which approach suits your family gives you time to cut the curriculum hunt to manageable.

For example, if you know the workbook approach did not work for your wiggly learner, but that a Charlotte Mason or Unit Study approach may, then you’ve narrowed your curriculum choices.

Increasing your success the first year comes from knowing which homeschool approach aligns closer to your child’s needs.

Although there are many approaches in the homeschool world, not all are equally popular for various reasons.

Here are the most popular Top 5 Approaches New Homeschoolers Need to Know which will get you off to a much better start.

Another step to ensure that you’re doing this right is to assume that you’re child is in the current grade level.

Step 4. Don’t Assume Your Child Is In the Next Grade Level Just Because He Was in that Grade Level In Public School. (BIG Mistake)

(don’t buy expensive curriculum yet, but do use easy or free curriculum in the beginning)

I know countless new homeschool families I’ve helped which feel that reviewing lower grade levels is a waste of time. It is not.

I’ve now brought my New Homeschooler Boot Camp online to help many more new homeschoolers. You will benefit from learning the detailed how-tos.

How to Start Homeschooling

Look at these superior reasons why beginning your homeschool journey by reviewing lower grade levels or easy concepts solidifies a strong start;

  • Kids become masters of material by reviewing concepts they may or may not have mastered. I’m not saying do this for the whole year. Take it easy in the beginning so you know exactly what your child knows and doesn’t know;
  • When kids can quickly master concepts, it builds their confidence for starting something new;
  • Many homeschool teachers are surprised by what their child does not know. Using inexpensive or cheap curriculum gives you time to explore and delve into what your child knows and doesn’t know;
  • Using cheap or inexpensive curriculum allows you a longer period of assessment which does not include testing. Tests are one way, but they don’t give you a larger picture; and
  • When you use inexpensive curriculum in the beginning as you learn the weaknesses and strengths of each of your children, you’ll spend your hard-earned dollars wisely.

Practical Advice For First Time Homeschoolers

Last, but not the least important reason to use inexpensive or free curriculum is that you get your teaching feet wet without wasting valuable resources.

Learning which subjects your child’s need to review and which subjects he may be one or even two grades ahead in makes for a successful start. That is how you know you’re doing it right!

Look at this list of inexpensive or free curriculum to help you gauge the true progress of each child, get your teaching feet wet, and understand the big picture of what your child knows and doesn’t know.

Inexpensive Resources for New Homeschoolers

Although any inexpensive workbook will give you a place to start while not spending a lot of money, some homeschool families prefer the ones I have listed below.

Don’t forget too that the Dollar Store, Sam’s, and Wal-mart are great places for finding inexpensive worktexts to start guiding you on what your child knows and doesn’t know.

Another one i love to recommend is like a Summer series which most public school parents would use during the summer to keep their kids’ skills sharpened.

The summer bridge series is great to use to kick off your year because they have a bit of each subjects area in the book. You get a better pulse of what your child struggles with.

Too, I find the series give parents an idea of what their child wants to learn or piques his interest.

Also, Evan-Moor , Spectrum, and Brain Quest cover a wide range of subjects and concepts. Some homeschoolers end up keeping a few books for review, to round out other subjects a child may be struggling in, or to use stand alone in a subject.

Brand New Homeschooler

Lastly, the most important step of all while you’re doing this is to deschool.

Step 5. Deschool.

(buy SOME curriculum NOW)

Take the kids out of public school one day, begin homeschooling the next day; it’s a common rookie mistake. And it seems almost impossible to change to a relaxed mindset when you jump from one stressful situation into another one. Deschooling is the first step for any new homeschool family.

Watch my video How to Deschool – Are You Doomed If You’ve Never Deschooled. Ins/Outs of How to Deschool! Are you doomed if you never have deschooled.

Also, my post Deschooling: Step One for the New Homeschooler (the Definitions, the Dangers, and the Delight) gives you the reasons why deschooling is important.

I would love to mentor you through my online self-paced New Homeschooler Boot Camp as I’ve had for numerous new homeschoolers who a decade later are still on the road homeschooling.

There is definitely a right and wrong way to begin your homeschool journey and you’re already taking the road less well traveled. Don’t make it harder than it has to be by adding stress and jumping into it.

Taking time to educate yourself first will save you tons of stress and money down the road.

I am here for you if you need my help. What is your current struggle right now?

Also, look at these other super practical, tried and true tips!

Hugs and love ya,

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

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

How to build elementary homeschool curriculum directly from Amazon is easier than you think. Also, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

Whether you’ve homeschooled from the beginning or suddenly have been thrown into homeschooling, you’ll love the flexibility of being able to choose from Amazon.

I love supporting vendors who sell homeschool curriculum, but in person conventions did not happen everywhere this year because of the pandemic.

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

Having an option to build your elementary homeschool curriculum is vital and I made this easy for you by creating lists in my Amazon store.

Also, I have options for middle and high school. Click here for How to Build High School Curriculum Directly From Amazon and here for How to Build Middle School Curriculum Directly From Amazon.

Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

First, the essential subjects that you want to teach in the elementary years are language arts, math, history and science.

Of course this doesn’t mean these are the only ones, but those four are the basis for a solid foundation.

Too, in the elementary years one-to-one tutoring does not take as long as the academic load that homeschooled kids in the upper grades carry. While it’s true a younger child may need more breaks, the workload is still pretty flexible in the elementary years and you have time to add other subjects for enrichment.

Now that you understand the 4 BIG ones as I call them, you also need to know how to break down language arts components.

Here are the components of language arts and based on your child’s age, ability, or level, you need to decide which ones he will need to do.

  • Reading. This includes reading aloud.
  • Phonics. Normally you want to do this until about 4th grade.
  • Spelling. Phonics is the precursor to spelling. Don’t be so quick to teach formal spelling because a child needs input first which phonics does.
  • Penmanship (no this is not composition). This is just what it means, learning how to write. It’s done in the early grades.
  • Composition comes after penmanship and it is about teaching a child how to compose his thoughts.
  • Grammar. Normally you start this in the second or third grade.

Language Arts Curriculum from Amazon

Keep in mind the subjects you cover in the elementary grades are just a rule of thumb.

Because kids can be all over the place on levels, I am giving you the big picture so you know how to choose.

It’s worrisome to not know which subjects to introduce and when to introduce them. I want you to be in the know.

So look at the subjects below based on grade level.

  • If your child is at grades 1 or 2, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, and a writing program.
  • If you child is at grades 3 to 4, you want to choose a reading program, a phonics program, a spelling program, a writing program or composition program and a grammar program.
  • If your child is at grades 5 to 6, you want to choose a reading program, a composition program, a spelling program, and a grammar program.
  • Science and history can be as easy as reading a book in the earlier grades and then progress to taking more time like from 3rd grade on.

Curriculum from Amazon

Also, to be sure you’ve covered the bases for subjects, use my checklist for curriculum resources below

You can download an editable copy over at STEP 5A of my free 7 Step Homeschool Planner.

Additionally, I have this super helpful post How to Know What A Homeschooled Child Should Learn Yearly.

Now, look at lists I’ve created for you to give you choices on the different variety of curriculum.

By using the guideline above where I explain what to choose in each grade, you’ll be sure you won’t miss any vital curriculum for a grade.

Homeschool History and Science from Amazon

In addition, history and science are considered core subjects in some states.

Here is the Elementary – History & Geography List and here is the Elementary – Science List.

After you add the Big Four core subjects, you can add other subjects. By starting with the Big Four, you know that you have the essentials covered.

If you have many learners under the age of 7 or 8, then covering the Big Four for the day is solid. As your little ones get older and as you have time, you can add other subjects which interest your kids.

Sometimes lesson plans can be too lofty for the elementary ages, but remember play is still a huge part of the learning day too. There is no need to fill your day with too many subjects.

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

The Big Four subjects a.k.a. language arts, math, science and history are the same ones all the way to High School. There is a lot of years to cover those subjects so include plenty of hands-on activities too.

Elementary Homeschool Curriculum

Look at these other tips I have for you:

How to Build Elementary Homeschool Curriculum Directly From Amazon

The beauty of choosing curriculum directly from Amazon is that you not only can meet your kids’ needs, but also meet state guidelines if you have them.

You’re off to a great start this year!

20 Nature-Inspired Kids’ Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors

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

This list of twenty nature-inspired kids novels are the types of books which helps kids connect to the outdoors. These nature novels can be part of any curriculum or stand alone. Also, look at How to Put Together a Middle School Nature Study With Book List.

Whether you’re wanting kids to step away from their devices, looking for a nature-inspired book for a unit study, or you want to inspire your kid’s inner naturalist, look at this roundup of books.

20 Nature-Inspired Kids' Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors

Nature Novels For Kids

1.
Call of the Wild by Jack London for ages 12 and up.

The Illustrated Call of the Wild: Original First Edition

A classic story of survival from the perspective of Buck, a kidnapped Saint Bernard who is forced into being a sled dog during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Set in the Alaskan wilderness during the 1890s, the descriptions are stunning and take readers right to the freezing temperatures of the Yukon.

2.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell for ages 8 to 12.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

A young girl is left deserted on a pacific island off the coast of California. Karana must forage for food, build weapons for protection, and make clothes for covering.

A story of strength and resilience that will inspire. Beautifully written and perfect taking the readers to an island filled with dolphins, otters, and sea birds.

These activities will go along with this book.

3.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain for ages 12 and up.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Original Illustrations

This classic, set near the Mississippi River in the 1840s follows Tom and his adventures through plenty of outdoor shenanigans.

Look at this activity Lewis & Clark – Mighty Mississippi book & Sediment Activity to go along with this book.

Travel to the river with Tom and Huck with this fully illustrated edition!

Nature Books for Kids

4.
Hatchet by Gary Paulson ages 11 and up.

Hatchet

The sole survivor of a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian Roberson, finds himself stranded in the Canadian wilderness. He must fend for himself.

Brian slowly learns the survivor skills he needs to stay alive, building shelter, making fire, and foraging for food.

This novel takes the reader through a fifty-four-day journey of perseverance that forever changes a young man and his perspective about life and family. 

Gary Paulson has many other novels that are set in the wilderness, and spends his personal time split between Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Nature Book List for Kids

This book takes readers on an eco-adventure full of everything from the town’s well know bully to potty-trained alligators. There is a movie that would make a fun follow-up too.

5.
Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling for ages 8 to 12.

Paddle-to-the-Sea (Sandpiper Books)

Follow a young boy as he travels from The Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean in this adventurous novel that brings geography to life.

20 Nature-Inspired Kids’ Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors

This author has many other titles perfect for nature study.

The Secret Garden (HarperClassics)

6.
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett for ages 9 to 12.

An orphaned girl is sent to live with her great uncle and discovers a secret garden on his Yorkshire Moors property.

The lush garden is the young girl’s only escape.

This edition is beautifully illustrated by Tasha Tudor. Recreate some of the pictures or draw a scene from the book. 

7.
The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis for ages 8 to 12.

The Secret Lake: A children’s mystery adventure

This book is a time-traveling mystery adventure of two kids who find a pathway to a secret lake and one hundred years old garden.

Nancy Drew meets The Secret Garden in this modern novel sure to become a favorite. 

Nature-Based Fiction for Kids

8.
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare for ages 10 to 12.

The Sign of the Beaver

Thirteen-year-old Matt is left to survive on his own in the Maine wilderness.

This is a story filled with descriptive detail about survival in the wilderness and the relationships between settlers and natives in the 1700s.

Look at my other activities here to go along with this book.

9.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Davide Wyss for ages 10 and up.

The Swiss Family Robinson (An Illustrated Classic)

A classic story of one family’s survival after being shipwrecked in the East Indies on their way to Australia.

They live on a deserted island for ten years. A book filled with adventure, lots of exotic animals, and plenty of survival skills.

Also, look at my Free Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study And Easy DIY Water Filter.

10.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey for ages High School.

The Snow Child: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize in Letters: Fiction Finalists)

Set in snowy Alaska in 1920, a couple desperate for a baby, build a child out of snow.

The next morning the snow is gone, but a young girl is found running in the woods.

She hunts with a red fox by her side and survives on her own in the Alaskan wilderness.

The couple’s lives are changed forever, as they grow to love the child as their own.

11.
My Side of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George for ages 8 to 12.

My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics)

Sam Gribley runs away from New York City to the mountains and must survive on his own.

The descriptions of nature are detailed, and it is the perfect choice for learning real-life survival skills.

The book’s rich vocabulary will make for a great read-aloud.

Our Journey Westward

Kids Novels to Inspire the Love of Outdoors

12.
Summer of The Woods by Stephen K. Smith for ages 8 to 12.

Summer of the Woods (The Virginia Mysteries)

A summer packed with outdoor adventure! Follow these kids as they discover the Virginian woods where they find secret caves, rushing waters, and rare treasure. 

These books would be awesome for a state study of Virginia, as there are several more in the series that takes the reader to historical sites throughout the state.

13.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle for ages 13 and up.

The Last Unicorn

A lone unicorn ventures out on her own to find more of her kind.

Set in an enchanted forest, readers escape to the wood with this classic fantasy fiction.

14.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame for ages 8 and up.

The Wind in the Willows

Four animals live among the Thames Valley in England.

A classic novel about adventure, morality, and friendship is also well known for its depiction of nature.

The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot (1))

15.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown for ages 10 to 12.

Can a Robot survive in the wild? Find out as Roz learns to survive the wilderness.

Fans of the movie Wall-E will enjoy this adventurous story about the clash of technology and nature.

The book includes lots of descriptions of nature and animals.

Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction)

16.
Riding the Fume by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch for ages 11 to 13.

Set among the giant sequoia trees in California, the novel is about a young girl faced with the discovery that her sister who died years earlier may still be alive. A must-read!

Living Books About Nature

Nature Girl

17.
Nature Girl by Jane Kelly for ages 8 to 12.

Eleven-year-old Megan is without internet and TV in the Vermont woods for the summer.

Our Journey Westward

When she gets lost on the Appalachian Trail, she decides to hike all the way to Massachusetts where her best friend lives.

Get ready for a hike with this adventure novel!

18.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls for ages 9 to 14.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Set in the hills of the Ozarks, young Billy, and his two dogs explore the countryside.

This is a timeless tale of love and loss and the special bond between a boy and his best friends, two pups named Old Dan and Little Ann.

19.
Wish by Barabra O’Connor for ages 9 to 12.

Wish

Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, a young girl makes the same wish every after year.

This is a sweet story about a girl and a newfound furry friend.

20.
The Lost Book of Adventure for ages 7 and up.

You’ll be transported by riveting adventure tales from around the globe, like being dragged off by a hyena in Botswana, surviving a Saharan dust storm, being woken by an intrepid emperor penguin in Antarctica, and coming face-to-face with a venomous bushmaster (one of the most dangerous snakes on the planet)—all told in lyrical prose and illustrations that wonder at the mysterious beauty of the wild.

I hope one of these 20 nature-inspired books will teach your kids about nature and revive a love of the great outdoors.

Look at some of these other ideas:

Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family? Hear From the Kids!

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

Is homeschooling right for your family? As parents we have one view of what is homeschooling, but children can have quite another view.

Instead of explaining why homeschooling has been a superior choice for many families, let the homeschooled kids tell you in their own words.

Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family? Hear From the Kids!

I asked the brilliant homeschooled kids in my facebook group and they responded. And yes, I have their permission to tell you their words because they want you to know.

Note: This was an informal and relaxed conversation on my group; I didn’t ask the kids to write their response with correct sentence structure and grammar. Enjoy their uncoached words from their heart.

Do Homeschooled Kids Like Homeschooling?

Again, my question was why do you like being homeschooled and the kids’ answers are:

  • Not having to deal with school drama, being able to sleep in and to work on what is best for me and my way of learning. – Age 17 –
  • Everyone’s much nicer than the kids at school. – Age 11 –
  • Because I get to be home more than before. I can do my schoolwork anywhere, living room, kitchen, Mom’s craft room, outside with my chickens and dog, park, anywhere. I can take a break whenever I need to get up and move. I get to spend time with Dad when he is off in the middle of the week. I don’t have to wake up really early. – Age 10 –
  • Not getting sick all the time. -Age 7 –
  • That it’s at home. – Age 6 –
  • Because it doesn’t take 8 hours. I also asked her if she felt like she needed more friends. She says, “No. I have enough. I love my friends.”
    -Age 7 –

Will Homeschooling Ruin My Child?

  • I don’t have to wait quietly while no one else is respecting the rules; I don’t have to sit feeling like “I don’t get it”. When I don’t get something when we are in school you kinda know that I don’t get it even before I realize I’m confused. I think it’s because you are actually looking at me; I like that I don’t have to be in a classroom and ask to go to the bathroom every time I have to go; I love getting to be with you (her mom) because who else is so worried about me and my future and what I’m learning; I love getting done earlier in the day as well as earlier in the year than other kids; A lot of the kids in summer camps are really rude and disrespectful, glad I don’t have to deal with that all the time. -Age 11-
  • My oldest (6) is in Kindergarten at a private Christian school – well until the lock down and everything. My husband and I went on vacation and my kids stayed with family friends that homeschool. My son took all his catch up work and did it while their kids did their work. When we got home, my son said he wants to homeschool! Soon after, everything got shut down and my son Loves it! He occasionally talks about one or two friends from school but otherwise has no desire to go back. He still wants to homeschool!

Deciding to Homeschool

  • Coz it’s better, I can study in peace and not have to deal with all the agro. -Age 16-
  • Because I can go at my pace. -Age 13-
  • Because I get to be with you mama and you kiss my hands when they hurt from writing, I wouldn’t want the teacher doing that. -Age 8-
  • No bullies. You are my teacher. We can take breaks when I need it.
    -Age 9-
  • Said that it is Saturday and she doesn’t answer homeschooling questions on Saturdays. -Age 9-
  • Architecture & Engineering & cause I love Mommy & Professor Bunny & Professor Mr Bear. -Age 4- (Mom’s note: His favorite stuffed animals learn alongside him.)
  • Because I don’t want to go to regular school for 6 hours a day with no room to run and play. -Age 8-
  • Because it’s fun and you won’t yell at us if we get something wrong. Also, the field trips. -Age 12-

New Homeschooler

  • It’s really fun and I like my mom as my teacher. We can go to really cool museums together. -Age 10-
  • Because I get to spend more time with my family. Because I like my teacher, I love her so much, because it’s you (her mom). Get to do lots of nature study. Get to spend a lot of time with my dogs. -Age 7-
  • Because I get to spend time with you and get a good education instead of being at the school where the teacher was rude and kinda didn’t know what she was doing, and I get to play outside more. -Age 10-
  • I don’t get thrown by the bullies like in public school. No active shooter drills every month. Those were scary. They taught me to hide and throw things at a shooter. I didn’t like that. I can call my teacher mom. I get challenged more; I like that. I can play with my own toys at recess. If it is too hot outside, I don’t HAVE to stand outside for half an hour recess like public school. I don’t get pinched and smacked like I did in public school. I don’t get sick all the time. The lunch food is better. No one threatens me anymore. If I forget something, I can just get it. I don’t get embarrassed if something embarrassing happens. In public school, if I had a question, sometimes the teacher wouldn’t call on me to answer it. -Age 11-
  • I get to be with my dog. Mommy is funny; she makes funny pictures. I do harder stuff and don’t get bored. At public school they kept giving me spelling words I already knew. I like learning new spelling words. I like that we do experiments in homeschool; they didn’t do science in public school. -Age 9-

Homeschooling the Family

  •  There are no bad bullies. Mom knows what I’m good at and bad at. I don’t have to rush to the bus. No one hurts me on the bus anymore. I can snack when I’m hungry. I don’t have to pack my lunch. I don’t have to wait for all the other kids to finish their work when I’m done. I don’t have to wear shoes. -Age 9-
  • Because she doesn’t have to deal with the mean kids or the teacher silencing her. She tested just under for the advanced placement so they placed her in a standard classroom and her teacher would never let her answer. She would be practically the only one with her hand up and then throughout the day she would get in trouble for talking because she was done and bored. She said I get to learn what I want in a fun way, take breaks and talk when I want. Lol She even said “I even don’t mind doing school on the weekends because we have weekends whenever we want. -Age 9-
  • I get to sleep in, I get more breaks, I can get ahead, mom knows what I know, mom knows what I need to know, I can ask questions whenever I want. -Age 11-
  • I love being homeschooled because I am smarter because I get to learn from my mistakes instead of the class just keeps going with you.
    -Age 9-
  • Because I like my freedom… I get more sleep… I’m safe from physical and sexual assault and I’m not bullied. I don’t have to put up with the constant drama from peers my age. I can have a job. -Teen-
  • Because it’s fun. -Age 7-
  • Because if I need a week off I can have it. And if I have a hard time finishing something I can come back to it in a couple days. And because I get more free time. -Age 13-
  • That I’m with my family most of the time. -Age 8-

New to Homeschooling

  • My kids like sleeping in, and they like having conversations with me about what they’re learning. They also like binge doing stuff they’re passionate about.
  • Every day is pajama day and I get to have class in my playhouse outdoors. No bully teachers or kids either. -Age 10-
  • I was scared at school and the teacher said I was dumb. You (her mom) make me understand and say I’m smart.  -Age 11-
  • I like it because I like being home, and you’re my mom, and I like having company from my mom. -Age 8-
  • I can do more crafts and get to be with my family more. -Age 9-
  • I get to play more. -Age 6-
  • I actually get to do stuff during the day. -Age 18-
  • Gets to sleep in. -Age 15-
  • I like that we get to do fun experiments and I get to spend more time with you guys. -Age 9-

Beginning to Homeschool

  • That’s a hard question. I guess because I get to see you guys more often. -Age 7-
  • Mommy is my teacher. -Age 7-
  • I like that I learn things they do not teach in public school. I get to do topics that interest me. I also can do things as fast as I want or take my time. I have time to do the things I want to do like work part time or volunteer at the food pantry and do trail clean up. I get to wake up late like at 7 a.m. -Age 14-
  • I like being homeschooled because I can learn at my own pace and not get made fun of or bullied. -Age 8-
  • I like being homeschooled because you (her mom) make learning fun and I don’t have to do boring worksheets all day long. I finish my work and I can go play. -Age 7-
  • Because then I can spend the rest of my day playing games. -Age 8-
Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family? Hear From the Kids!

You’ll love these other reads after homeschooling 20+ years:

There you go. Out of the mouth of babes about what it’s really like to homeschool your kids.

What do your kids say about being homeschooled?

Hugs and love ya,

15 Old-Fashioned Useful Skills Homeschoolers Love To Teach

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Here are 15 old-fashioned useful skills homeschoolers love to teach. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

Whether you didn’t learn these skills in school or you’re determined to give your children the best education you’ll love these useful skills to teach.

Besides, teaching only academics and not life skills is a huge flaw in the educational world. We don’t want to repeat that same nonsense thinking.

15 Old-Fashioned Useful Skills Homeschoolers Love To Teach

So we choose to intentionally teach what other educators view as vintage or old-fashioned because we know some obsolete skills prepare today’s kids for adulthood.

Look at these 15 skills, academic or otherwise which homeschoolers still love to teach.

Old-Fashioned Skills for Today’s Kids

1. Cursive writing.

Unless a child has a special need, most homeschooling parents know that learning to write and cursive writing are valuable skills.

Beyond the fact that most early documents were hand-written, cursive writing supports hand-eye coordination and can reduce letter reversals.

Look at some of my tips below about how I teach writing.

2 Finance

3 Accounting

4 Budgeting

5 Money Management

6 Writing a Check

Yes they are all very different skill sets.

Although they are connected learning to budget and run a household is different than money management.

Money management is not only a skill used in personal life but can be applied to a business.

You want your children to have as many as they can get while living with you.

Today’s kids learn early how to use a debit or credit card without knowing what is a budget or knowing ways to rein in their spending.

Subjects Not Taught in Public School

Distinguishing between a need versus a want is an extremely valuable skill to teach kids.

Not teaching a kid about finances while in middle or high school or even earlier may set him up for much debt later in life.

Too, many places of business still use paper checks.

Teaching our kids both how to write out a check and how to make a bank deposit in person are necessary skills for adulting.

Next, look at these books about money and look at Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?: A Fast, Clear, and Fun Explanation of the Economics You Need for Success in Your Career, Business, and Investments.

8 Rad Money Resources to Teach Money For All Ages

Grab some of these money resources to teach your children about how to save and budget money.

And look at my post 12 Ways for a Homeschooled Teen to Earn Money – A Budding Entrepreneur.

7. How to do taxes.

My kids started working while in high school and although they didn’t make enough to have to prepare a tax return, we still helped them prepare one.

When a child is living on his own he’ll have a basic understanding of tax deadlines and taxes.

He manages adult responsibilities way better than if you had never introduced basic tax how-tos.

8. How to cook from scratch.

The pandemic of 2020 is a perfect example of how life can throw a huge curve.

Because we want our kids self-sufficient, teaching them to cook from scratch like baking basic bread or from what is on hand saves money, teaches independence, and can be healthier.

Look below at a few ways I incorporated this into our learning day:

9. How to fill out a job application and how to do a job interview.

When I helped my first teen fill out a job application, it was hilarious.

School Doesn’t Prepare Us for Life

Although he knew what it was from the exploring career opportunities course in high school, preparing one was quite different.

To this day, he still thanks me and his dad for helping him to look at his set of skills both strengths and weakness realistically.

However, nothing compared to seeing him get ready for his first job interview.

He was pretty comfortable looking to apply for a job that required a dress jacket.

Just a word of advice, be sure your teen knows how employees are expected to dress after you go over your dos and don’ts for a first-time job interview.

10. Learn to read a map.

I love GPS too, but if you’ve ever hiked or walked in a remote area your cell phone is not really a good bet.

Besides learning about scale and distances, a map can teach local geography and can teach us what is around us.

No cell phone service needed.

Things No Longer Taught in School

Maps are engaging and foster a love of learning about places along the way instead of just getting to a point like a gps.

We can use both in our everyday and not let a generation grow up equipped without engaging with a map.

11. Diagramming a sentence.

To understand how words need to be arranged in a sentence to make their thoughts clearer, kids need many ways to learn word arrangement.

When kids have to break down or diagram each part of a sentence it leaves no room for ambiguity. This teaching technique still helps many students.

12. Auto upkeep.

Whether the tires need air or not, when and how to change the oil, and basic upkeep to maintain your safety and the life of a vehicle are important skills to know.

13. Home Economic skills.

I know home economics courses are now called some fancy name like Family And Consumer Sciences.

That is another post for me, but kids need to know how to read recipes, count food portions, food storage, food prep ideas and how to eat healthy.

And while we can teach these skills separately, it’s much easier to teach them while on the job.

Assigning your kids the responsibility to make a grocery list or a meal for the family works.

I started with easy meal ideas for my kids to make for the family and as they grew, so did the cooking skills.

Benefits of Life Skills

In addition, teaching a kid basic sewing can be a lost skill.

Back in the day learning basic sewing skills was a must because all clothes were hand-made. Learning how to sew on a button is still a valuable skill.

14. Latin.

Latin used to be taught at in a lot of public schools.

Today, not all homeschoolers teach Latin, but a lot do.

We see the value of teaching our kids the roots of modern-day language and how to analyze root meanings.

15 Old-Fashioned Useful Skills Homeschoolers Love To Teach

The deductive reasoning used while learning Latin helped my kids to know how to critically think.

15. High School Shop Classes.

Classes like woodworking, metal, and drafting classes seem to be dwindling.

Those types of hand skills are being lost. Electricians, plumbers, and carpenters are valuable skills needed in our community.

Also, these classes were taught in high school so that a teen had time to pursue passions and some of the classes were segues to a higher degree.

These skills are not outdated in our home, but they are skills which propel our kids to the future. A future where our kids are truly prepared for whatever comes their way.

Old Fashioned But Timeless Skills

How can a kid learn about the human body without preparing a meal?

And how can a kid value how fast human history changes unless he can read the thoughts of the founding father in their handwriting  – cursive?

How can a child not be saddled with debt and stress the rest of his life unless we teach him now how to save and when to spend?

Look at some of these other reads:

We don’t have to make a choice between academics or old-fashioned practical skills a child should know. We want them both!

Hugs and love ya,