The following is a post from contributing writer Amanda Pelser.
If you’ve been homeschooling for more than a week, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: Am I doing enough in my homeschool?
You’re probably feeling like that the answer is no. Let me reassure you that the answer is probably yes.
Did you know*:
- By 8th grade, most homeschooled kids are on average 4 years ahead of their peers?
- Out of a 7.5 hour school day in the best schools, only 1.5 hours is spent in engaged learning time?
- Relationships and intimacy are key in learning?
- Age 5-12 are crucial to developing life-long habits?
Are you:
- Reading to your child?
- Teaching your child to be a responsible member of your family?
- Helping your child develop good daily habits?
- Guiding your child get to reach a point where s/he love learning and can teach him/herself?
- Focusing on relationships over academics?
Stop worrying so much about the details and focus on the bigger goal. Start with your child rather than a scope & sequence guide. Rest assured, you’re probably spending more focused academic time than your child’s public school counterpart. If you’re doing most of the things I mentioned, then you’re doing enough. Let go of the guilt. You’re doing enough.
Amanda is preparing to start 1st grade with her 5 year old while her 1 1/2 year old runs around like a monkey. She blogs about life, motherhood, homeschooling, technology, books, faith, and more at ThePelsers.com.
* These statistics are taken from Zan Tyler’s talk on homeschooling in the elementary years at Apologia Live in Atlanta, GA in March 2012.
AMEN! The Bigger goal is what is most important! Truly!!
This is one of the areas that I struggle with. My boys are 9 and 6 and I worry that we aren’t doing enough subjects. With me the reading and math are non-negotiables, but I kind of let the other stuff slide. Though we did start Beautiful Feet Books – Early American HIstory and are SLOWLY working through that. And I am going to get a dedicated science curriculum this year mostly because I know that they will love it.
It’s a balancing game, but I know that they are having more of a childhood than most of the kids I see that are stressing about tests at 6 years old.
i really needed to hear this….this is our second week full on homeschooling (i have a first grader who is six, a pre-K who is four, and a active almost two year old) and there have been so many doubts in my mind that i am doing enough! i really would love support but it is very hard to find it where i am. i do stress on routine and responsiblity and above all a love for God and His word every day. my son seems to be a bit slow but it’s hard to tell because i have no one else to compare him to. anyways, thank you for your encouragement. I needed it badly!
Good morning.
I have been homeschooling my 6 year old son since September. I actually thought I was doing a decent job, until my husband came home one day talking about how the local public school is teaching Spanish to the first graders. Thats all it took for my confidence as a teacher to plumet. The doubt just took over and before I knew I was looking for Spanish curriculum on the computer.
Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Have a beautiful day.