Encouragement Archives - Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Why I’m Glad to Be Homeschooling

March 17, 2020 By Erin Vincent

On those tough homeschooling days, Erin suggests playing the “Glad Game” to focus on the many reasons you’re glad to be homeschooling.

Written by Erin Vincent of Nourishing My Scholars.

There is a culmination of experiences that make me glad to be homeschooling my children. And while I know it’s not the best for everyone, I can’t help but love the way that homeschooling allows me to be there for all my children’s firsts while also learning alongside them every day.

But sometimes I get stuck in the trenches of parenthood and homeschool. I find myself hiding in the bathroom with my stash of chocolate.

Math gets hard. Handwriting gets frustrating. Parenting gets exhausting.

That’s when I could really use a dose of Pollyanna and her glad game.

Pollyanna and the Glad Game

Last weekend our family was a part of the ballet production, Pollyanna. What began as auditions five months ago became a beautiful and moving performance on stage at the local university.

My children were wayward orphans.

I helped corral some of the younger ballet students backstage (which I akin to herding feral cats).

One of the things I love about our local ballet theater is how they always promote a positive message from every ballet they produce. This year it was “The Glad Game.”

In Pollyanna, the glad game was all about finding something to be happy about in every situation. Pollyanna helps the entire town find happiness with her upbeat and positive attitude.

The five months we worked on this ballet truly helped to change my mindset. Some days we may grumble about math facts and history lessons other days we can choose to play the glad game! [Read more…]

The Best Way To Navigate Boredom With Kids

October 17, 2019 By Erin Vincent

Boredom is an emotion we all experience. It’s not something to be punished or fixed. Instead, try this one simple trick Erin has discovered for helping kids alleviate boredom.

Written by Erin Vincent of Nourishing My Scholars.

Do you ever feel guilty when your kids say they are bored? Do you try to fill their days with endless activities to avoid the complaints? Maybe boredom isn’t something to be avoided. Perhaps it can be a gateway to connection, discoveries, and natural curiosity.

The Best Way To Navigate Boredom With Kids

Boredom Can Be a Path to Connection

There I was standing at the kitchen sink with my hair in my face and my elbows deep in hot sudsy water when I heard the phrase, “Mama, I’m bored!”

What’s a mom to do? Give them more chores? Tell them to go outside?

Maybe those ideas have their place in different circumstances. Yet, my approach wasn’t to find my kids something to do or punish them for being bored. [Read more…]

20 Reasons to Homeschool That People Don’t Think About

August 1, 2019 By Erin Vincent

Of all the reasons to homeschool, some are pretty obvious, but there may be dozens more reasons that people don’t think about. Here, Erin shares 20 of them!

Written by Erin Vincent of Nourishing My Scholars.

Deciding to homeschool your child is a personal decision that only you can make. While there are oodles of great and obvious reasons to homeschool, today I’m sharing twenty that people may not think about!

20 Reasons to Homeschool That People Don’t Think About

1. Nutritional needs are easier to manage at home, especially for kids with severe allergies or the need for sensory diets.

2. Medical requirements for children with chronic illnesses and health problems are somewhat easier to coordinate. Plus, it’s easier to maintain a sense of peace and normalcy when the parent doesn’t have to worry about school absences. [Read more…]

Strength-Based Homeschooling: 5 Reasons Why It Really Works

June 13, 2019 By Shawna Wingert

Working to your child’s strengths can improve retention and build a love of learning. Discover the benefits of strength-based homeschooling.

Written by Shawna Wingert of Not the Former Things.

Before I was a homeschooling mom, I worked in corporate training and development. My job was to help companies identify talented individuals within their organization and teach them to leverage an individual’s strengths for better performance.

One year, I was asked to attend a training session at Gallup. This multi-day intensive was all about using individual strengths to improve overall ability and performance. Based on their book StrengthsFinder 2.0 and a ton of Gallup research, the key takeaway was: Teaching to an individual’s strengths exponentially increases productivity and learner satisfaction.

Surprisingly, I also learned that when a person is allowed to progress in a way that is ‘strengths-based,’ her overall capabilities and performance increased, even in the areas that were weaknesses.

5 Reasons Why Strength-Based Homeschooling Really Works

After completing the training, I saw the research prove itself again and again in a corporate setting.

Then, I started homeschooling my boys. [Read more…]

How to Find Homeschool Community and Support

June 6, 2019 By Erin Vincent

Homeschooling can be lonely without a strong support system. That’s why it’s so important to find your homeschool community. If you’ve ever struggled to find your tribe, you’ll appreciate the tips Erin shares.

Written by Erin Vincent of Nourishing My Scholars.

Have you had trouble finding a supportive homeschool community? You are not alone! I am right there with you! Finding supportive homeschool groups can be hard, especially if you’re an introverted homeschool mom like me.

We homeschool parents carry loads of pressure to be perfect and to do this homeschool thing right. We need allies, cheerleaders, and friends to support us on this educational journey. But finding our homeschool community and support system is frequently easier said than done.

How to Find Homeschool Community and Support

Finding A Homeschool Community

To find your homeschool tribe, you’ve got to put yourself out there. Repeatedly! That’s hard. So is rejection or feeling like you don’t belong. It may take a while to find your tribe, but when you do, it is so worth it! [Read more…]