How to Make Homeschooling a Learning Adventure You’ll All Enjoy!
Consistency is rooted in finding joy in your homeschool journey. It’s about making learning an adventure you can’t wait to go on together. It happens when you choose to homeschool boldly.
In our article, The Secret to Being Consistent in Your Homeschool, we looked at two actions that will get you started on the path to being more consistent in your homeschool.
- Think through your educational priorities.
- Create a homeschool routine that reflects those priorities and addresses the needs of your children.
But those actions aren’t the secret. We’ll talk about what that is in just a bit. Let’s start with a key component of consistency: a strong motivation.
The Motivation You Need to Be Consistent
Defining Motivation
Motivation: the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior…synonyms for motivation include inspiration and enthusiasm, so people tend to associate motivation with positive acts. (vocabulary.com)
Notice the first part that emphasizes action toward a desired goal. Part of your motivation will be having a strong why—a reason to homeschool that is big enough to help you through the hard days. So take some time and consider the following questions: What is your goal when it comes to homeschooling your children? What is your why?
Because your why gives you purpose and direction.
Now let’s break down the synonyms a bit further:
- inspiration—the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something
- enthusiasm—intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval
Okay, I know that’s a lot of definitions! But defining words helps us to slow down and really think about the concepts. And in this case, I believe having an understanding of these ideas helps us get to the heart of why we are (or are not) consistent when it comes to homeschooling.
We often want an easy formula to fix an issue or struggle we are having, but there isn’t a formula that will make you consistent. Instead, it’s a whole mindset change.
So here's the secret: I believe consistency is rooted in finding joy in your homeschool journey. It’s about making learning an adventure you can’t wait to go on together. It happens when you choose to homeschool boldly.
Adventure: daring and exciting activity calling for enterprise and enthusiasm.
Do you dare to homeschool with enterprise and enthusiasm? To have a mindset that understands the importance of the undertaking and meets the challenge eagerly?
Do you dare to homeschool boldly?
How to Make Homeschooling a Learning Adventure You’ll All Enjoy!
Don’t compare your family’s homeschool journey to anyone else’s path. There's nothing that will suck the joy out of homeschooling faster than trying to keep up with the homeschooling Joneses. What works for one family won't work for another because each is unique—the way God intended it to be! Comparison leads us to try to do too much and add too much. It makes us discontent.
Leave your preconceived ideas about what school should look like behind. We all come into homeschooling thinking there are certain ways kids learn best, and often that is based on our own personal experiences. This doesn't mean there is no value in a traditional education, if that is what actually works for your kids. But your home is not a classroom. Why try to make it look like one?
Homeschool offers us so many options! You can teach kids naturally and learn from real life. You can do hands-on-projects, explore nature, and read incredible books. Your kids can learn together and see how connected learning really is.
See homeschooling as a skill that you can continue to improve. Are you mentally stimulated (see definition of inspiration above) when it comes to homeschooling? We tend to work harder at things we are interested in and enjoy. You don’t have to be an expert in all the subjects to teach your kids, though I have no doubt you really are an expert in more than you realize. But you will enjoy the process more if you keep learning about...well...learning.
Make relationships a priority. Strong family relationships are the foundation to education.
Homeschooling is largely heart to heart. The methods and even the curriculum do not matter nearly as much as the relationship between child and parent.
Dr. ruth Beechick
When the hard days of homeschooling come—and they will—know when to back off "school" and simply be mom. There are times when you need to take a deep breath and focus on the emotional needs of your children. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
And have fun with your kids! Make family nights a priority, eat dinner together regularly, and take the time to have real conversations.
Choose Your Own Adventure
As a kid, I loved Choose Your Own Adventure books. I mean, how cool was it to be able to decide how you would reach the end of the book? You knew you would get to the end, but it would be your unique adventure.
If you want to be consistent, then create a school experience that both you and your kids look forward to by choosing your own learning adventure!
Kay Chance homeschooled her two boys for fifteen years. While teaching them, she discovered a passion for writing and developing curriculum resources. She loves sharing natural learning methods and creative lesson ideas with other homeschooling parents in her column Learning Naturally.
Kay is the co-executive editor of Homeschooling Today magazine, author of the older extensions for the Trail Guide to Learning series, and a freelance writer and content creator. She makes her home in Texas with her husband Brian.
