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Homeschooling your children is really quite simple, and pleasurable, Although, many parents seem to miss out on its simplicity and pleasure because they are all wrapped up in stress and self doubt. This How-to may help some "home-schoolers" free themselves of stress and self doubt.

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Steps

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    Determine why you home-school or teach at home. Write this down. Every time you think of a new reason why you are homeschooling make a note of it. This will help you remember all the benefits of homeschooling through the frustrating times.
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    Review what you have taught in your home-school over the last week, month or year. As you list what you have taught you will find that you understand a lot more about your home-school and how it functions. You will be reminded of what works well in your home-school, what your kids are interested in and all the many success you have had in your home-school. Almost nothing can make you feel as good as a list of good things you have taught in your home-school. You will be glad you reviewed your success.
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    Use Productivity software. Task Master or use some other method to keep track of your to-do lists. Write down all the tasks you should do/want to get done. You may find that this alone relieves some guilt and stress. After you have those nagging tasks written down, walking past evidence of unfinished tasks is easier, because now you can say, "I have a plan for that task and I will get to it when it is the best time."
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    Establish a habit. Pick one thing you want to do (not what you think you should do; wants motivate much more than you should). Consistently do this one thing for one month. Don't overwhelm yourself, pick one small thing. Master one thing at a time. When your first habit is mastered pick a new habit. Keep a list of habits you have mastered "Where success is measured success improves."
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    Relieve external pressure. Strive not to take offense from your many relatives and family that express doubt and concern. Talk to them in their language, do not try to convince them of your philosophy if it is different. If you have more critical relations go out of your way to tell them the good things you are doing in your home-school. This should be easier now that you have written down all the successes you have had in your home-school. This is not bragging this is addressing their concerns in a positive way. Your brainstormed list of home-school successes should assist you with this. Do not bring your critical relations into your confidence or they will feel they know more or are close enough to the situation to evaluate your home-school and it success even more.
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    Keep your stress level in check. Good stress motivates you while bad stress demotivates you. Read more here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/index.html and here http://www.jhu.edu/~hr1/fasap/stress/slide14.html
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    Take time for you. Now that you home-school, you have less personal time. Plan in some kind of personal time, weekly is wonderful. Take a long relaxing bath. Send the kids to their friends house. Work out an exchange with another parent, where you take turns giving each other a break. Plan a weekly or monthly visit for the kids to go to grandma's so you can have a break.
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    Network with other homeschooling families. Homeschooling is growing so fast that most major cities have many different homeschooling activities your family can participate in. find an activity your kids like and take a break chatting with other homeschooling parents while your kids enjoy their activity.
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    Have confidence. The Lord has entrusted these children with you. They are your stewardship. Because he has called you to this work he has given you the divine gift of inspiration for your kids. If you turn to him he will guide and direct you in this important stewardship. The Lord's ways are not our ways. If coloring outside of the lines is what he wants you to do, then do it with confidence, be the salt of the earth.
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Tips

  • Keep your focus simple. You have time on your hands. Every month you will get better at homeschooling. Every year you will get better at homeschooling.
  • Bring your spouse in line. Ask them to tell you what they would like to see happen in your home-school. Listen openly to their ideas. Help them see how they have talents that will add to the homeschooling environment. If you have a spouse who is critical of homeschooling it can be a burden that is difficult to bear. Help relieve this stress by asking them to pick one thing for the family's home-school to work on. It should be thought of as the family's because educating children is the responsibility of both parents no matter how it is accomplished. Most likely they will describe a talent they have and would like the children to have. If this is the case plan a method to help the children gain this talent as well. When put in this light your spouse is essential to the process. If they want you to improve in some way, talk about it. Many times it helps to narrow down your spouse's concerns to one item of importance. Strive to improve in this one area. This is a team effort, ask the whole family to work together to reach this new goal. Express to your spouse that this is a process and it is best to start with one small thing and build on that rather than to try to be an instant homeschooling expert.
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Warnings

  • Your spouse may want to make sweeping changes to your homeschooling and call it one item. If you strive to fulfill their request you will end up frustrated. Sustainable growth happens slowly one habit at a time. Work on small obtainable goals that motivate you. The more you are excited about your goal the more successful you will be.

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Article Info

Categories: Homeschooling | Christian Education

Recent edits by: Ravuazu, Rena Danae Smith, Jordan

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