Make your first homeschool day a great homeschool day
There's no "right way" to start homeschooling, but you may find these tips helpful as you navigate your first days.
Start with a break.
It sounds counterintuitive: You’re homeschooling, so shouldn’t you do school? But taking a little time off can actually help your homeschool’s first year feel more productive and successful. A break can include lots of library trips, documentary viewing, and social time — it doesn’t have to be a free-for-all if you’re not comfortable with that. To plan a break-focused first day, cook a big celebratory breakfast together, start a family art project, head to a park or hiking trail for some outdoor time, and wrap up by watching a documentary together.
>> Learn more about using a break to find your family’s homeschool rhythm.
Trust yourself.
You do not have to be an education professional with multiple college degrees and classroom experience to be a great homeschool parent. l Make a mission not goals. Instead of making a list of goals for your first year of homeschooling, concentrate on honing your homeschool mission statement. Focus this first year on the big picture and not on sweating the details. What would you like your student to have learned at the end of this year? Pick one of those things, and start there.
Make a Homeschooling Friend.
As you’re figuring out how much math is normal, and whether you should sign up for co-op, having a homeschooling friend can really help. Most homeschool moms have been in your new, slightly uncomfortable shoes, and you’ll find many of them welcoming and happy to answer your questions and talk about their own experiences. Park days and homeschool groups are places where this kind of interaction naturally happens, so be sure to make time for these kinds of activities in your schedule when you start homeschooling. (How else will you make sure homeschool parents get socialized?) You could spend your whole first month homeschooling test-driving different homeschool groups and activities in your area.
>> Here are some tips for making time for your own social life when you’re homeschooling.
Pick your first readaloud.
For most homeschoolers, readalouds quickly become a beloved part of your family’s homeschool routine. Pick your own childhood favorite, or use the links below to access our lists the best readalouds for elementary, middle, and high school. Choosing a great book to kick off your homeschool is a time-honored way of settling into your new homeschool routine: Settle into a comfy spot, take a deep breath, and begin.
>> Our favorite readalouds for elementary school
