Every Christian homeschool encounters times when things get a little difficult. To help you get through those moments, here are some thoughts that will help you put everything into perspective.
Stop and consider the many reasons you began your Christian homeschool. Along with the educational reasons, most families also start to homeschool their children in order to have more quality family time together.
When difficulties arise in your Christian homeschool, and sooner or later they will, call the family together for a special family meeting. Discuss the issues, pray about them together, and then make some decisions as to how the problems will be corrected.
Everyone loves family traditions. Think back on when you were growing up. What traditions did your family have? Which ones can you begin in your own family? Which new ones can your family think of that you would like to start? Perhaps one of your traditions will be to begin each school day with prayer.
Celebrate unusual holidays and incorporate the history into your homeschool. For example: February 7th is Laura Ingalls Wilder's birthday; March 15th is National Buzzard Day; and April 23rd is the birthday and day of death for William Shakespeare. Weaving events and celebrations into your study will bring interest and creativity.
Always ask your children what they want to study. So often the conflict in homeschooling is created by children being coerced into assignments they have no interest in doing. Trust yourself to help them find the way and trust your children to learn through their own passions.
If your children are having a difficult time with some of your curriculum, perhaps it's better to switch to something different than to keep forcing the current material on them. Remember, if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten. Sometimes that's a good thing; sometimes it's not.
Don't plan on having the utopian Christian homeschool. It's not going to happen. Just as you'll have some days where you seem to floating on cloud nine, and everything's going perfect, so you'll also have days that are just the opposite. Come to think of it, your homeschool experience is just like real life outside the school environment, isn't it?
Every child learns things differently. After teaching your children for awhile, you will soon learn what their strongest styles of learning are (ie: auditory, visual, hands on). When you discover this, then start teaching the subjects that the are not very good in, using the style of learning that they enjoy the most.
Don't fall into the trap of comparing your children to those in the public school system. Yes, there are pros and cons to each kind of schooling, but don't forget the reasons you started to homeschool in the first place. Cherish the freedom and the liberty you have to teach your children in the ways that you feel is best for you family.
Have faith in your family and faith in your conviction to homeschool. Stay in touch with your support group for enrichment and good ideas.
Have you ever had one of those days when you begin to wonder if homeschooling is for you? You're not alone. Some days can be more stressful than others. One coping mechanism is to simply go out and get some fresh air. Let the kids go play for awhile, while you spend some quite time in prayer. This will help you clear your thoughts, and help you focus more on what needs to be done when you return to your "classroom".
Parents must fill up their pitchers before they can fill up their children's cups. Do something for yourself. Go to the library alone for a change. Try having dinner with your best friend, go see a play, or take a dance class just for you. If we are running on empty, we have nothing to give our families.