Homeschooling your child can be a wonderful opportunity to teach them important skills in a loving environment, but it can be a daunting task to make the decision. Many parents are overwhelmed at the idea to start homeschooling and have many questions about what the process is going to be like. Here are 5 things every homeschool parent should know.
1. It can take a while to find your rhythm.
Parents with no educational background don’t become expert teachers in a week. (People with teaching degrees don’t become expert teachers in a week!) There is a learning curve for all homeschool parents and the first year if often a year of learning for both you and your child.
Research your local homeschool requirements and work from there in the way you think is best for your child. While it can be very helpful to talk to other homeschool parents and read online material, remember that your home classroom is going to look different than anyone else’s — because your family is different than anyone else’s.
2. You don’t need a degree to be a good teacher.
Some opinions out there may make you feel underqualified to teach your child if you don’t have a teaching degree or a background in education. While those people may mean well, you ultimately know what’s best for your child and how to communicate the important stuff to them. As a parent, you can evaluate your child’s academic work on their effort and tailor their learning goals based on their individual needs. There is plenty of information and material available to ensure your child is fully prepared for their next stage in life after homeschool.
3. Homeschooling is hard.
While you may be the best person for the job, being a homeschool parent is not an easy gig. Your child will have bad days and you will have bad days. Not everything will go smoothly. Sometimes you will feel underqualified, overwhelmed, or exhausted at the task of bringing up your child in the best way possible.
But, just like everything in life, challenges make us grow and ultimately become better. Don’t let a few bad days outweigh the years of love and learning you are instilling in your child.
4. It doesn’t need to be a race.
You have plenty of time to make sure your child meets their learning requirements by the time they graduate high school. Don’t feel like you need to rush through a particular subject or learning period because your child is struggling or you feel like you are behind other families who have children that are the same age as yours. The beauty of homeschooling your child is that you get to meet their needs, whatever that looks like.
5. You don’t need to do this alone.
Being a homeschool parent can feel like it’s you against the entire public school system, but there is a huge homeschool community out there. Ask around the community, do some digging on social media, and you’re sure to find plenty of homeschool meetups, social gatherings, and forums with plenty of support available. You can’t do this alone, and you shouldn’t ever feel like you have to.
Since 2004, Global Student Network has been a leader in providing innovative online curriculum to homeschooling families and partnering schools throughout the world. GSN offers a wide range of online curriculum options. We have over 2000 course offerings including Honors, AP®, World Languages, and Career and Technical Education courses. Our program has been used by homeschool families as well as public, private, and charter schools, both nationally and internationally. Learn more about or try a demo of GSN’s curriculum here: https://globalstudentnetwork.com/curriculum