Key to conquering all the topics you will be faced with in your first few years of homeschooling is identifying what they are.
Today, I want to infuse you by sharing some tips on facing THE 4 homeschool biggies.
When you are new to homeschooling, sometimes you just don’t know all the questions to ask and it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what is bothering you.
No need to stress about it because I will help you to round up what I call homeschool giants to slay.
When the homeschooling biggies are clearly identified, then your energy and time can be well-placed.
1. Curriculum Colossus.
As new homeschoolers, we are proud to show off to all naysayers or even to the Mr. that we have now made curriculum choices.
However, what can be daunting just a few short weeks into the year is that the curriculum choices we made may not be working.
Excitement turns to anxiety for both mother and child and curriculum seems like it becomes an almost insurmountable hurdle.
Facing the Homeschool Giants
Look at a few of my tips that can help you to analyze how to make choices for curriculum.
1. Did you pick the textbook approach just because that is the only one you know about and feel comfortable with?
I know it’s hard right now with so many things being thrown at you, but try to take time to educate yourself about learning styles.
Look at my post Homeschooling:Learning Styles – What’s the Difference Anyway to start down the road in pairing curriculum with your child’s learning style.
2. Also, don’t fall victim to public school mentality which is that just because your child is in a grade level that equates to the same grade level curriculum.
Guess what? You are not alone if you are already having curriculum problems if you chose your curriculum this way. 
Though the grade level your child is in when he attended public school can be a starting point, you will want to use free online tests, read the scope and sequence of a curriculum and look at free samples to make a more informed choice.
In addition, if your child has been in public school before then you probably have an idea of which subjects he struggles in.
For example, does it make sense to push him on to the next grade if he struggles and suffers terribly in math?
When a new homeschool teacher does this, it can have detrimental effects on a child.
Instead of getting the help he needs by you choosing a lower level to promote mastery, both your child and you may now blame the stress on homeschooling.
Don’t push through concepts in a curriculum that your child is not familiar with.
Learning overlaps and he wants to be somewhat familiar with some of the basic concepts so he can build on them this year whether the subject is math, writing or reading.
Encourage a love of your new homeschool routine and curriculum by allowing your child to feel like he has some mastery over what you are introducing.
When he connects with something he knows, he then knows he can go on and tackle the rest of it.
2. Socialization Hype.
I never get tired of touting about how well connected homeschoolers are. But year after year, we still have to defend against the same mind-set.
Somewhere, someplace, somebody is thinking that our children are poor lost souls, wandering aimlessly and without friends.
Never mind the fact that a doubter of homeschooling has not truly sat down with a well rounded out youth to only discover the idiosyncrasies he has, but that we all have.
Sure, if you look hard enough you can find the weird in me too.
So unless you plan to not ever be around other homeschoolers which I know is probably not the case, then your children will turn out “normal” like everybody else’s children.
New Homeschooler Empowered
Look at my post Socialization – A Homeschool Hallucination to grab some gracious ways to respond to those that think you are going to lock your kids up in a closet to only emerge at graduation.
Also, look at my post here Homeschool Hangouts & Socialization Situations on creative ways to find other homeschoolers in your area.
Believe me, homeschoolers are oozing everywhere and you can’t live in a city small enough that does not have homeschoolers. Okay, okay, you may have to drive a bit, but we are everywhere.
If you and your kids want friends, true, lifetime homeschooling friends, then a little bit of effort is needed.
And just a few more words of wisdom to help you muster up the courage to be around all those weird homeschoolers, look at my blog post Homeschool Field Trips – An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle Part 1 and Homeschool Field Trips – An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle Part 2.
Of course, you know my wordiness love for words, so I will share Part 2 of Mustering the Courage to Face THE 4 Homeschool Biggies next.
Can you guess what the other two biggies are?
Have you hit a wall yet with curriculum and socialization?
Hugs and love ya,
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