When I began homeschooling, I thought I would only teach my oldest child at home for one year for kindergarten. I didn’t think homeschooling would be a good fit for us. But, after that first year, I found I loved homeschooling. So, we continued. The more we keep going, the better it gets!
One of the reasons I hear parents frequently say they don’t want to homeschool is, “I’m afraid I will mess my child up.” By this I think they mean:
*I will have so much conflict with my child that they will be oppositional and angry about education.
*I will forget to teach them something essential.
*I will teach ineffectively and they will become permanently confused.
I can understand these hesitations, because I felt them myself.
Avoiding conflict is essential. Having strategies to eliminate power struggles is the only way to make progress.
As far as “educational holes”: the more math, reading and writing a child does, the more it covers the material previously learned. In all of education, review is naturally part of the cycle.
At five years old, children still have lots of development ahead. Children are resilient; give it a try!
The benefits of homeschool are enormous. Review my personal statement here: https://www.homeschoolinginthepresenttense.com/why-we-homeschool/
I homeschool because I enjoy spending time with my children.
When you homeschool, you are involved in an additional dimension of your child’s life. You will find new ways to connect with them. At the same time, your own learning will improve.
Additionally, we have freedom from busy work and wasted time from the bureaucracy of the system.
*Attention from the parent
*customized learning speed
*flexibility about when and where learning can occur.
Kindergarten Basic Skills: The Three R’s
Even if you don’t have training in education, you know enough to teach kindergarten.
Reading:
Teach your Child to Read in 100 easy lessons
Writing:
Handwriting without tears
Establishing Predictability
For me, sanity comes from a predictable routine. When my children were young, I set up our day so that we played outside in the morning and then did our learning inside while my younger children were napping. One of our best ideas is quiet time.
Another thing parents say about homeschool is, “How would I ever have the time for that!?!”
*Choosing to homeschool means children are doing the chores with you.
*Choosing to homeschool means you carefully prioritize your responsibilities.
*Choosing to homeschool means you have to be very intentional about your self-care.
Building a Community
The best thing to keep my momentum is having friends with common goals. Search out and find other homeschoolers! If you can meet even one local homeschooler, they will have connections to other homeschoolers in the area.
Here’s what I’ve noticed: just being a homeschooler and having kids the same ages won’t always be enough to build a friendship. Don’t give up after the first few attempts! Go for the law of large numbers: the more homeschoolers you meet the more likely you are to find ones you like.
You Can Do It!
If you look at your child and think, “Kindergarten may not be the best fit.” Here’s what I would say: try! You are not committing to homeschooling for the next 12 years even if you try kindergarten. After just one year, you will learn so much more about your child!
Read: Develop your Parenting Skills
Between Parent and Child by Haim Ginott
Why is My Child in Charge by Claire Lerner
https://www.lernerchilddevelopment.com/why-is-my-child-in-charge
Learn more about teaching math: I was influenced by Constance Kamii
There are many people that write about teaching math with hands-on experiences: https://www.noworksheetsallowed.com/
****************Motivation to Homeschool
Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gotto
Better late than early, Dr Raymond Moore
Homeschooling for Excellence by the Colfax family
**************Preventing Homeschool Burnout
Homeschooling from a place of Rest by Sarah Mackenzie
**************Other People who have done it or are doing it
REAL-LIFE HOMESCHOOL By Rhonda Barfield–a story of 21 different families homeschooling and how they make it work.
Best advice: buy nothing!
It can feel so tempting to purchase books and curriculum, but a kindergartner doesn’t need a lot in order to learn. Keep things simple. But, if you do decide to browse the best places to find curriculum with information would be: