How To Transition Into Homeschooling

When you first start homeschooling you may not know where to start. You become so used to the same schedule, routines, and methods that traditional schools use. Those say systems you used as a child when you went to school. Often parents decide to start out by recreating traditional school at home. This often leads to struggles that could be avoided with a transition into homeschooling. If you are choosing to finish out the year you can start with simple co-schooling to help with your transition.

Transition into homeschooling

It is simple to transition from traditional school to homeschooling by taking a step away from school and turning your focus to quality time with your child and fostering a love of learning. Education is important but taking a few weeks, months, or even an entire year to change gears. This process is called deschooling and it is for both the child and the parents. Take some time to make learning all about fun so that your child WANTS to learn.

Curriculum for transitioning to homeschool

While unschoolers will advocate no curriculum at all some families do not want to fully give up curriculum while deschooling. The good news is you have some amazing options for a curriculum that doesn’t feel like school. Earlier this year I met an inspiring homeschooling mother of 15 that created a great homeschool curriculum that embraces each child’s interests and allows them to control and customize their own education. Fun Schooling books are a great curriculum to help your child transition from hard daily work to fun exciting child-led learning. Your opportunity to help your child learn to enjoy learning.

Instead of rushing out to buy the latest and greatest homeschool curriculum pick up a fun schooling workbook and let your child work through it over time while you transition. Who knows you may find the perfect learning method for your child and if you don’t you wills till giving them the chance to feel like they are in control of their own learning and foster a lifetime love of learning.

Sometimes the best curriculum for deschooling is no curriculum at all. Instead, go to the library and find books that fit your child’s interests, turn on Netflix or Amazon Prime and binge watch educational shows or documentaries. Go outside and find an impromptu field trip where your child can learn something in an active hands-on way.

Dealing with hiccups as you transition to homeschooling

Changes can throw a child off and lead to behavioral issues. Spending more time with your child every day you may notice quirks that only your child’s teacher has had to deal with before like maybe your child fidgets? Perhaps you discover your child has struggles in a subject that had been missed in a classroom of 30. Sometimes a child test boundaries with behavior when they go through a major change. Rarely does life have that perfect Mary Poppins feel we imagine in our heads? When this happens you have to deal with it head on and find ways to work around your issues.

If you discover a learning challenge your child has don’t be shy to speak up and seek help. Check your state’s laws and see what the local school district is required to provide homeschoolers within the form of recourses for educational challenges. You pay for these services when you pay your taxes each year so use them. After you have seen what your options are or if you can’t figure out where to start have a hear to heart with your child’s doctor that can help direct you on what testing and recourses are available to your child.

If you discover that your child struggles with behavioral issues you may need to take a step back and look at it in a creative way. Sometimes the best way to teach a child a lesson in life is to allow natural consequences to take place. Let your child fall and then watch them figure out how to pick themselves back up again. When you set rules be consistent and don’t back down. Let your child learn where the limits are and eventually they will calm down and go back to normal.