What makes a good homeschool mom? Some might say that you need to be an expert in every subject, or have an unrealistically large home with an endless amount of teacher supplies. But the truth is, there are several ways to become a good homeschool mom.
Good homeschool moms are always looking for learning opportunities. They strive to make learning fun for their children. While there can be a lot of material to cover, a good homeschool mom will recognize when her child needs a break. She will make an effort to learn how to teach the material and will know when to reach out for help if she or the child is struggling. When teaching a child, it is a natural reaction to praise the outcome of a correct answer, but a good homeschooling mom will praise the effort. This helps children understand that hard work and perseverance are responsible for a good outcome. A good homeschool mom will realize that all children learn at different paces, so she will not compare her children to other children and try to rush her child to catch up. Meeting a child where they are is one of the many benefits of homeschooling.
Every family is different, and each homeschooling journey will be unique. So what makes a good homeschool mom?
If you’re curious about what qualities make a good homeschool mom, read on! You might just find some inspiration for your own journey.
Always Looks for Learning Opportunities
A good homeschool mom will keep their eyes and ears open for learning opportunities.
Are your children showing an interest in porcupines? Watch a documentary on the topic, or find a good library book. Are you working on teaching letters or numbers? Point out signs when you’re driving. My son loved to yell out the letters and numbers on signs as I was driving.
But be sure to take off your teacher hat and just have fun together too!
Makes Learning Fun
This is a big one. Kids learn best when they are having fun. Especially during the elementary years, there are so many different ways to incorporate fun into your school day.
I have a wiggly 5-year-old boy. This was a learning curve for me initially. Most new homeschool moms, myself included, think that homeschooling should resemble traditional schooling. That could not be further from the truth.
Now, we incorporate games and are active in our school lessons and he flies through the lessons because he is having fun!
In the picture above, we are mining for gems while traveling in Tennessee. He learned all about different types of gems, minerals, and fossils. For each item he found, he matched it to the brochure and I explained what he had found. He had no idea he was learning and we all had so much fun.
Here are some creative ideas that we love!
Recognizes When a Child Needs a Break
Stay in tune with how your child is behaving during lessons. Kids have short attention spans in their elementary years. (Kids around age 5 only have 10-20 minute attention spans.) If they are not participating, understanding, or are restless, it’s time to take a break!
With our 5-year-old, we do 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of math. The rest of the day is used for educational games, play time, life skills, and just spending time together.
Conveys Material Well or Knows When to Ask for Help
A good homeschool mom will be good at conveying information in a way their children can comprehend. Usually, this takes preparation by reading lesson plans or watching videos.
For example, I know how to do fractions, but I had to find a way that made sense to my son. I ended up using Melissa & Doug Wooden Pizza Set to explain fractions, and it clicked!
If that hadn’t worked, I would have reached out to some teacher friends, read material with different teaching techniques, or watched some YouTube videos to try to gain knowledge myself. The video above is a great learning tool for children to understand fractions.
Just because we understand fractions does not mean it’s easy to teach. There’s no harm in asking for help! That is part of what makes a good homeschool mom.
Praise Effort, Not Outcome
This is a hard one. It’s common to say “good job!” or “perfect!” or “that’s right!” which praises the outcome of doing something well. Studies show that it’s best to praise the effort of hard work by saying something such as “you worked so hard!” or “you didn’t give up!”.
“Praising effort rather than skills or natural ability helps students of all ages learn that the work they apply leads to the results they want. Skills such as perseverance, dedication, and determination help students learn to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and move on from setbacks.”
Oxford Learning
Doesn’t Compare to Others
Many homeschool parents compare their child to others in traditional school, and it’s hard not to. You are your child’s sole educator and you are worried your child will fall behind.
Here’s the thing, though: Every kid is different.
Let’s say that your friend’s son is in 2nd grade, and your child who is the same age is only reading at a 1st-grade level. How do you know that the 2nd grader is actually reading at a 2nd-grade level? Just because the student moves ahead, doesn’t necessarily mean they have mastered all the skills.
Even if they have, all kids learn at different paces. That’s the beauty of homeschooling.
This brings me to my next point.
Meets Them Where They Are
Homeschooling allows you to work with your child until they understand the concept. Don’t move along too quickly through the material. A good homeschool mom will stay aware of where their child is and move at a speed that works for their child.
Doesn’t Try to Do Everything at Once
A good homeschool mom will block off portions of her day for different responsibilities, instead of trying to do everything at once. Being home a lot means lots of cleaning, cooking, and laundry.
I’ll be honest; I struggle with this. Seeing a sink full of dishes makes me want to scream! But no one wants to learn from a mom who’s trying to do everything at one time.
My best days are when I time block what I plan to do when. It doesn’t have to be super strict, but a general plan helps me stay focused on the task at hand.
I love using time blocking and an hourly planner, but do whatever works for you! I’m obsessed with this KAICN Daily Planner. (seen above) It helps me stay on track with our day. I love that it has an hourly schedule to break up our day!
Sets Expectations for the Day
A strict routine is not always needed. There I said it. I’m sure homeschool moms who follow an unschooling approach will appreciate that.
But in general, kids like some sort of structure and knowing what to expect. Homeschool moms can use the same daily planner to write out the plan for the day for the child if they can read. Consider using inamio Magnetic Kids Calendar for non-readers. This has been a huge hit in our house! We keep it on our fridge and every evening, we map out the next day’s activities together using brightly colored magnets.
A good homeschooling mom will make sure her children know what to expect.
Some days this may mean an hour lesson in the morning and a field trip to a children’s museum in the afternoon. Other days, this might mean watching a documentary in the morning and doing a reading game in the afternoon.
However you structure your day, your child should know what to expect.
Homeschool moms have different teaching styles, but there are some common traits that make them good at what they do. What makes you such an awesome homeschooling mom? Share your best qualities with us below!