Homeschool Challenges Archives - Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Challenge: How to Homeschool When Life Is Busy

March 19, 2020 By Bethany Ishee

Sometimes life can become overwhelming and full, but this isn’t the time to throw in the homeschooling towel. Bethany has some fantastic tips for how to homeschool when life is busy.

Written by Bethany Ishee of BethanyIshee.com.

Becoming overwhelmed with life happens to us all, from the most organized Type-A homeschool parents to the more laid back among us. And that is okay. Any number of situations can invade and overwhelm our well-planned homeschool year.

However, these times don’t mean you need to throw in the towel and find the number to the local school district. You can continue homeschooling even when life gets busy, and your time is short.

Whether it’s an illness, aging parents, too many activities, or a multitude of appointments, we can quickly find ourselves in our van more often than on our couch with a read-aloud. Don’t despair. Instead, try these tips to successfully homeschool when life is busy, and continue living a life of learning with your children. [Read more…]

How to Respond Positively When Your Kid Refuses

February 20, 2020 By Heather Pleier

It’s frustrating when a kid refuses to do something, but Heather has learned four vital questions to ask herself to get to the root of what’s going on when her kids refuse.

Written by Heather Pleier of Wonderschooling.

I signed my oldest son (who is 9) up for a science club I thought he’d enjoy. But, when I told him about it, he said, “No, I don’t want to.”

Now, before you judge us as permissive parents, we’re pretty consistent with our rules and expectations. We’re not perfect, but we know the importance of following through once we’ve told our kids to do something.

How to Respond Positively When Your Kid Refuses

The reality, however, is that our kids are growing and learning. And, it seems that “NO!” is one of the first words they learn. They use the word because it gives them power and autonomy. They also use it – and this is huge – because they often don’t have the words to express themselves.

To understand what’s really going on, there are four questions you need to ask when your kid refuses. [Read more…]

How to Survive Homeschooling With a Newborn

November 14, 2019 By Chelsea Gonzales

Homeschooling with a newborn can be challenging. Try Chelsea’s tips for continuing to educate older siblings while keeping your day manageable.

Written by Chelsea Gonzales of Wonder Wherever We Wander.

At the end of September, my family welcomed our second child into the world. This change was a significant one for our 7-year-old son – and my husband and me! I was worried about how we would adjust.

Slowly but surely, we are figuring things out and getting back into the swing of things. One of the most challenging things for our family to navigate through this transitional time has been our schooling.

How to Survive Homeschooling With a Newborn

We’ve always been a pretty laid-back family in terms of our schooling style. Still, we make a point of providing our son with the resources he needs to thrive and grow. Right now for us, this means:

Frequent trips to the library
Read-aloud bedtime stories
Lengthy discussions and family internet research sessions about interesting topics that come up in our day-to-day life
Keeping a simple journal.
Fun math workbooks

However, even with a super laid-back approach such as this, keeping up and making sure our son receives the stimulation he needs has been quite the challenge since the baby arrived.

Fortunately, we have figured out a few tricks that have made things considerably more manageable. I highly recommend putting these tips to use when adding a new member to your family, or in any season during which time is scarce and stress levels are high. [Read more…]

4 Essential Tips for Homeschooling a Child With ADHD

October 23, 2019 By Shawna Wingert

Homeschooling can be challenging, especially if your student has ADHD. Make it easier with Shawna’s four essential tips for homeschooling a child with ADHD.

Written by Shawna Wingert of Not the Former Things.

When my child was diagnosed with ADHD almost three years ago, we were already homeschooling.

We already had routines in place that accommodated his attention gaps. I knew he needed short bursts of learning, rather than long sessions. I thought I had it all figured out, and I wasn’t the least bit concerned.

4 Essential Tips for Homeschooling a Child With ADHD

Fast forward about a year post-diagnosis, however, and I was fighting a daily battle – not with my son, but with my expectations of how learning should be, ADHD or not.

I knew we needed an out-of-the-box approach for my out-of-the-box learner, but I found myself, over and over again, going back to a more traditional school approach. I wanted worksheets and textbooks. Not for him, mind you. No, I wanted them for me.

It took me a while to let go. To embrace the reality that our homeschool was going to look very different than the one in my mind. And, on Instagram.

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve shared with me years ago, as we navigated an ADHD diagnosis and homeschooling. [Read more…]

5 Reasons You Should Consider Homeschooling at Night

September 10, 2019 By Bethany Ishee

If a packed or unusual daytime schedule is derailing your homeschool, try homeschooling at night to maximize your schedule. Bethany has five reasons why a schedule change may be just what you need!

Written by Bethany Ishee of BethanyIshee.com.

So often we embark on this homeschool life with the idea that learning happens between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. We make our beautiful, color-coded schedule and set the alarms. Then, we don’t understand the disappointment when things don’t go as planned.

Life gets in the way of that perfectly timed schedule.

5 Reasons You Should Consider Homeschooling at Night

Before you get discouraged and flag down the school bus, remember, this is your homeschool and learning happens all the time. Sure, it can happen at 9 a.m. if that suits your family, but 9 p.m. is okay, too. And for those of you with teenagers, I see you already nodding your head because you know how difficult life can be with a 15-year-old at 9 in the morning.

5 Benefits to Homeschooling at Night

Have you ever thought about homeschooling at night? Consider these benefits. [Read more…]