Watch Out for these Homeschool Blind Spots

There are two keys to a successful homeschool: The first is figuring out what works for your family, and the second is knowing when your carefully figured out system needs to change.

A happy homeschool is one that grows with you, and what works Right Now might not work six months from now — or it might carry you all the way through high school! Knowing when it’s time to change can be challenging, so give your homeschool a checkup now and then to make sure you’re not falling prey to any of these potential blind spots.

You’re stuck in the status quo.

We all get caught up in the everyday — and being present in the moment is part of a happy homeschool, so that pattern makes sense. If you get too complacent, though — if you never pause to take stock of what’s working and what’s not or to consider what the next stage of your homeschool might look like — you can miss knowing when it’s time to make a change.

You’re obsessed with making it work.

We’ve all fallen into a situation where we’ve spent too much time or money or emotional energy on something, and we’re determined to make it work. But whether it’s a pricey curriculum or poetry tea time, if something just doesn’t work for your homeschool, you reach a point of diminishing returns. Don’t be afraid to cut your losses.

You’re stuck in planning mode.

There’s a great moment in Philip Pullman’s The Amber Spyglass where protagonist Will realizes that he has to make a decision: He laments that once he sets out in one direction, all the other possibilities go away. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of all the options and stick to one, but if you’re never sure what road you’re on, you can’t tell when it’s time to make a turn. Make a decision, and move forward.

This was originally published in the winter 2019 issue of HSL.

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