Homeschooling Lies Part 1 - Goodbye Supermom

There are many misconceptions about homeschooling, and parents who have taken on the task of teaching children at home are often confronted by people who have little knowledge on the subject and plenty of opinion. An educated debate on the pros and cons of homeschooling is all well and good and generally welcomed, but a lot of noisy criticism from people who know next to nothing and worse, have no desire to hear the truth, is frustrating. This makes it ever so important for moms and dads who homeschool to embrace their choice and stop believing the lies that are carelessly tossed around.

Staying home and teaching your children requires discipline and patience. This does not mean you will be the most disciplined, ever patient mother on the block. It means you need to work on these character traits the same every other mother. Parenting is a life long journey, one that challenges at every new stage. We are imperfect because we are parents.

3 Things to Let Go Of

   1. A clean house
   2. Having kids home all day means either cleaning all day or turning a blind eye to the sink full of dirty dishes. Dole out chores and make doing them a family requirement.
   3. Perfect children

This won't happen even with the one on one attention and extra parenting they are receiving. They will be likeable with unique charm, but they will still argue, talk back, and complain. Expect better behaviour, teach it, live it and every day you will see more of it-with plenty of annoying and antagonistic antics mixed in.

Balanced Meal Times

Nutrition is good. Healthy meals are good. Making them every day and serving them on a set table as everyone gathers and shares their highs and lows also good. Expecting it to happen every day is a recipe for disappointment and burnout. Cherish the moments you gather as a family around the table understanding how precious that time is.

3 Things to Grab Hold Of

   1. Laughter - Laugh at them, laugh at yourself, and laugh at all the things that come up throughout the day. Children have a unique sense of what is humorous, try to remember what it is like to be tickled so easily and join in the merriment. There are plenty of opportunities for laughter if you are willing to slow down and pay attention to all that is happening around you.

   2. Simple pleasures - Snuggles on the couch in a stream of winter sunshine, quality conversation with your teenager, spontaneous dancing to an old song... there are so many moments to grasp hold of revel in. Take advantage of the extra pleasures being at home with your children affords you.

   3. Milestones - Homeschooling is a gift of time, and intimacy. It is an up close and personal journey side by side with your children as they unlock the mysteries of the world and grow into adulthood. Mark the milestones as they come.

Homeschool Workbox System - How Does It Work?

The homeschool workbox system was created by Sue Patrick although many homeschoolers have been using boxes for years. It is basically a system for organizing a student's work. There are many adaptations to the system and many different types of boxes you can use. Basically, the mom decides what type of box she will use for each child and then she will put something in each box for her child to do. The student works through each box one at a time. Once the child has completed every box, they are done with their schoolwork for the day. Parents usually need about 10-12 boxes for each student.

Advantages of Using the homeschool workbox method:

    * Sometimes more fun for a student to anticipate what will be in each box and be able to work through them.
    * Contents don't have to just be workbooks or textbooks.
    * Encourages independent learning.
    * Can be used with any curriculum.
    * Resources for homeschooling are all in one place.

Disadvantages of using the homeschool workbox method:

    * Can sometimes be overwhelming for the student to see how many boxes he has to complete rather than a stack of books.
    * Can sometimes be labor intensive for the mom to have to fill each box each day for each student.
    * 10 boxes for each child can take up a lot of space if someone has many children.
    * The parent might have a hard time finding creative ideas for things to put into the workboxes or might have trouble buying enough items.

Workboxes can be adapted to a families needs. Many different types of boxes can be used to store materials. Parents can use shoeboxes, magazine racks, plastic tubs, magazine holders and even clean dish drainers with file folders in them. The boxes don't have to be completed by the student alone. The parent can mark certain boxes to be done with mom. Most parents number the boxes that their students use. Some parents even get very fancy and use velcro tabs on each box with different directions that can be changed. There are places on the internet where you can find forums and free printables related to the workbox method.

The Planning Itch - Waldorf Homeschooling

It seems to start about this time of the year. Of course, if you have younger children, you may just be starting your homeschooling journey. That is going to be excited!

For veteran homeschoolers, you may want to take a look at how your current curriculum is working out. Is it a fit for you and your child and lifestyle? For new curriculum, the best advice is to talk to other moms who have used the one you are considering. Ask what they liked and did not like. Try to get a feel for the style of the curriculum. Is it all laid out for you? Or is it just concepts that you will have to fill in? Rigorous or following state regulations?

A lot of moms use many different resources combined (me included) but sometimes that can lead to purchasing "too much" and then only using a few items. If you have a local Waldorf co-op you may plan to all get together and compare notes and books. This is what the Atlanta based Waldorf group The Peach Cobblers (co-started by Carrie Dentdler of The Parenting Passageway) do. I drive over and spend the weekend in blissful Waldorf-ness. It is nice to have that feedback. If you are more isolated and there are no moms around, check out the yahoo groups for ideas and there is a forum for members of the International Association of Waldorf Homeschooling group.

Ideally, just getting a feel for what is coming in the next year is a great start. Immerse yourself into the stories and ideas. If it is fairy tales, read some. Pick ones that feel your child would benefit from. 2nd grade Fables & Saints, the library has many options for you. For newbies, it may feel overwhelming all that you have to know and do, but taking time now to get familiar with the materials will go a long way to boosting confidence. Start painting and using block crayons if you are new to the Waldorf techniques. Some moms do a practice main lesson book with the stories pictures and summaries. Then when school starts, you already have it ready

Homeschool Classes Online

When looking for homeschool classes online, there are a few factors parents need to consider first before they start making any payments. Although having their child complete all their coursework online sounds like a great idea, online classes have some definite requirements.

Here are some factors to consider before you enroll in an online class:

   1. Full Curriculum or Individual Classes - Does the student want to take all their classes online or do they just desire to take a class or two online? If a student has never taken a class online, then they might want to consider taking just a few classes at first instead of jumping into a complete curriculum right away.

   2. Cost - Parents need to make sure that their homeschool budget allows for paying for online classes. If the parents don't have the money, then they should seriously consider whether homeschool classes online would be the best option. Most accredited school classes start at around $775 each.

   3. Teachers - Parents should take a good look at the teachers at the school that they are looking at using. They should pick teachers that have a good approval rating so that they don't end up wasting money on a class or having a very frustrated student.

   4. Testimonials - Check the references and testimonials for the school in question. There are probably forums online that can be searched to see what kind of reputation each school has.

Students who want to take homeschool classes online might enjoy a more interactive approach where some of their lessons are on video instead of in a textbook. Students who struggle with reading or who don't enjoy reading a lot of textbook material might learn more in an interactive environment.

When choosing individual courses, there are some questions parents need to know about their student:

    * How motivated is the student?

    * How important is class discussion and instructor involvement to the student?

    * Is the student a good reader and writer?

    * How much time does the student have available to complete the course?

There are also a few free online courses that have been created by people who just want to share and help others. The classes will probably not be accredited, but accredited courses are not usually necessary for homeschoolers even if they plan on attending college. Online classes can usually be chosen in an a la carte method. Most schools do not require students to sign up with them on a full time basis. Parents can pick and choose which courses they want their students to take. Usually the instructor or course description will spell out the cost, what kind of time frame is required to complete the course, and what will be required of the student during the course. Some courses will be more interactive than others, so it is important to look for that when reading the course descriptions.

Socialization for Homeschoolers

When thinking about socialization for homeschoolers, many people don't realize that public school children are really the students who are at a disadvantage. They are stuck in school all day while homeschoolers are free to explore the real world. Homeschoolers will learn to be responsible for their own education and not be like their public school counterparts who have everything done for them. Homeschoolers also have the advantage of learning house management skills and work experience and real life skills needed later in life. Here are some ideas for opportunities for socialization for homeschoolers:

   1. Volunteer Opportunities - Homeschoolers have more opportunities to volunteer at local businesses or ministries. Whether they volunteer on their own or with a group, they can look around their community and find places that need their help. Some visit nursing homes, help build Habitat for Humanity homes, help with local soup kitchens or food pantries, help Salvation Army volunteers pick up items or organize items in their stores, along with a whole host of other ministries that need extra help.

   2. Homeschool Group Field Trips - Since homeschooling is becoming so popular, just about every county in the United States has a homeschool group available. These groups can often get discounts to local museums or attractions because they have a greater number of students. There are also more ideas available for field trips because there are other moms and dads who want their children to see and experience the activities in the area.

   3. Local Sports Teams - Almost every community I have ever come in contact with has some type of summer baseball/softball leagues. There are often many opportunities for traveling basketball, soccer, volleyball, and baseball teams. Many sports open their elementary and junior high sports programs to anyone in the community. Homeschool groups often band together and form soccer or basketball leagues where homeschool students can compete against other homeschool students.

   4. Church Activities - Besides volunteering to help people, many churches also have youth groups, children's groups, and choir and singing groups. These are all open to homeschoolers and can have a positive influence in their lives.

Many different studies have shown that homeschoolers tend to have a better self esteem and adapt better socially than public school students. Sometimes there is negative socialization in the schools which is actually a disadvantage for socialization that the homeschool students can avoid. Every state in the United States has some form of state and local homeschool organization that make it even easier for students to find socialization opportunities. Many of these organizations have websites where parents can get lists of activities and attractions in their area or state where they can find even more socialization for homeschoolers.