I’m very sorry for not updating this as frequently as I should.  We have been busy lately with our children and some other complications.  While we had suspected that our youngest was an ADHD child, it is starting to look much more like an Autism Spectrum Disorder. We are hoping to know a final diagnosis by March but in the meantime are traveling to the doctor’s office to meet with different therapists 2 times a week.  It will be a very long road, but we have enjoyed a lax homeschool environment lately with the main focus just being trying to survive the new more stressful schedule.

I will get back on track in the very near future and apologize for the long absense.

Many people have no clue how to determine if their child is really doing well while homeschooling. The abundance of tests, professionals, tutors and other types of people and products tends to typically undermine the results that most parents feel that they are getting. However, it is very important that you not let these things get to you. If you are overly concerned with how things are going, there is very little that you can do to avoid feeling as if your child is not making enough progress, yet there is no reason to run and sign them up for numerous tutors or special classes either.

For the average child, getting along well you should typically find a great range of skills. For example a child that is thriving at homeschooling might be able to do 5^th grade math, science on a 3^rd grade level but only be able to handle spelling at a 1^st grade level. This is something that occurs quite often, and is simply the result of some subjects being much more interesting to children.

As long as you notice that your child is making progress in areas and that they are at least within a couple of grade levels of where they should be, there is no need to worry. Every child learns at different speeds and while some children excel at certain subjects, others will fall behind in them. If you are trying to really be sure that your child is successful, you should just watch for signs that they really get and understand what is going on around them in order to find the answers that they need.

In response to a comment that I have received I think we shall address this idea and concept.  While it is true, many parents have a very hard time letting go and just allowing learning to happen.  There is likely a large number of reasons behind this, and each family attempts to get started down this path entirely on their own.  For each family the journey towards education is entirely different, what is hard and complicated for one family might be incredibly simple and easy for another.  Trying to ensure that your child learns as much as possible is not as complicated as it might seem.  Most children are drawn to learning in ways that adults will never understand.

Taking advantage of this can be as simple as taking a drive and looking at all of the sights, it can be going to watch a movie, it can even be something as unique as taking a hike through the woods while you bond with your family.  Learning is everywhere and taking advantage of life itslef will typically allow you to really enjoy the maximum amount of benefits that many children find in the highest ranking schools around.

How do you actually help your children reach their potential?  Do you guide them along a path of rigid curriculum, or do you instead allow them to cover the materials that best interests them, and proceed along their own path?

Have you ever wondered exactly how the parents who unschool really do it?  It is amazing to many people just how they manage to pull themselves together and create a plan that is really unique for their child, yet has no serious structure.  If you wanted to go to the extreme end of unschooling then you are even allowing your child to decide exactly what they want to learn.  For some parents this is an amazing feeling and for others it is something that is absolutely amazing.

What is most amazing is how children actually absorb information.  Not only do they have the desire and willingness to learn, but it is actually a lot of fun when they take control of what they are doing.  For most people, it is rather scary to just let go and allow their child to take over, but actually doing this can really ensure that you are able to break free and enjoy all of the benefits that home education has to offer.  Of course, this is just not an educational method that agrees with everyone, but for those who make it work it can be extremely rewarding and fascinating.

For many parents the idea of exactly when they should begin homeschooling is really simple.  From the moment they find out that they are having children they already start thinking about curriculum choices and other special things.  Going to the effort of teaching your child at home might sound like the easiest decision in the world but for many it is something that they wrestle with for a very long time.  In order to ensure that you really are making the right decision for you and your family you need to look at your overall situation.

Do you think that you can really teach your child at home?  Many parents don’t think they can, they believe that a lengthy education at a formal school is required in order to actually teach and this is far from the truth.  Most parents can easily teach their children at home successfully.

Do you have the time and pateience to look for suitable resources?  This is an area that become hectic, many parents spend years, if not their child’s entire educational career looking for the right curriculum to use.  You need to have the time and patiance to actually keep searching until you find the perfect choice for you and your child.

I figured it would be a good idea to take a few minutes to talk about how I actually teach my children.  I am working with a 5 year old who swears she’s the parent and a 4 year old who is the sweetest evil little child I have ever met.  Our house is a bit chaotic at times and that’s ok because it works pretty well for us usually.  For the most part we attempt to do at least a reading lesson and math of some form.

Aside from these basic subjects we tend to be extremely lax about other subjects.  Watching a video on math or even checking out one of the popular mechanics for kids videos that we have on a wide variety of subjects.  Trying to decide exactly which subjects that were most important to us was really easy.  I feel that reading and math are subjects that absolutely should be taught heavily.  Upon these skills it is possible to dive deeper into reading, advanced sciences and any other subject that is desired.

We tend to run a very lax day, and often we will find ourselves doing reading lessons at strange hours of the day.  Trying to decide what works best for our family is likely to still undergo some drastic changes especially as we are starting the testing necessary to help our younget daughter focus better on her studies but this will give you a glimpse into one of the many ways that you can homeschool your children.

Every family has a different way of homeschooling.  Some take the time to start out each day following a rigid schedule and others are much easier and loser to deal with while tossing schedules right out the window.  It is a matter of choice and most families eventually settle into a pattern and routine that works well for them.  In order to easily and simply move along many families opt to use a scehdule.  There is nothing wrong with this, but many families find that going by a schedule makes them nervous and they simply cannot function.

Trying to decide if you are best using a schedule is not always easy, there are plenty of different factors that you need to take into consideration. You need to always consider your own attitude towards schedules, do you view them as your friend, or just something that is a hassle.  You also need to consider the personality of your children as wel.  Not all kids are the same, one child might not work well with a schedule while another child may thrive using it.

Taking all of these considerations into account will help you to ensure that you are making the correct decision, rather than simply trying to force a solution on your family that just will not work.  Always feel free to make some changes if necessary to things if they are not working.  You are in charge ultimately and you need to be happy with the solution or it will be a complete disaster and typically fail.

You know that there are days when you feel like doing nothing more than getting up, packing the kids into the car and driving to the nearest school that you can find.  These days are when the burnout has set in.  You do not feel like continuing your homeschool journey regardless of the benefits that you know exist.  The reasons for burnout vary significantly but almost all families will experience it at one point.  The success of your homeschool program depends heavily on how you actually react to it.  If you are not willing to make some changes you will find that your burnout is growing, rather than getting better.

You should first take some time to really determine what you are upset about.  Many people are unhappy with a specific type of curriculum, others are not pleased with the progress that they are making and still other parents dread subjects more than the child does.  These can all add up to some serious reasons behind the burnout.  Taking the time to really determine why you are burned out will be useful in trying to establish ways to improve the situation so that thigns can get back on track.

You should also take a bit of time to get away from it all.  A few days without school work is a great way to help beat burnout.  Taking a trip to the beach, aquarium or part just for fun without trying to focus on always packing in a full day of educational activities can help yo uto really rediscover the simpler things that drew you to homeschooling as well.

There are plenty of times when life happens right?  I know it has happened here.  No matter how hard you try things seem to skew badly out of control.  Taking a bit of time to look for a solution only seems to throw things further into chaos as well.  How are we supposed to cope with this and still ensure that our children receive the necessary education?  The best solution is often taking a break.  Not only will this allow your child some relief from the stressful situation, but you will be able to take the time needed to straighten out your situation.  If you are determined to get started before things are straightened out you will usually find that things only get worse.

Never feel bad about taking a small break.  These are often quite useful to allow you time to get back on track and ensure that you can devote proper attention to the materials that you are wanting to cover.  After all, a small break never hurt any child.

Many parents are confused about pricing for curriculum. Some of the best choices are the cheapest most of the more expensive curriculums are not as good. In order to decide what is truly best you need to take some time to really review the materials. In order to do this you need to take advantage of opportunities that arise which will allow you the chance to review the materials personally.

Some of the best options are available include things such as moms night out, curriculum fairs, flea markets, bookstores, and teaching supply stores. You should always avoid purchasing anything unless you have had the chance to actually review it. Many suppliers do not allow refunds after the materials have been opened which can make for a very expensive mistake if you select the wrong curriculum.

Another option is available is reviewing thoroughly the publisher’s website many times they will be samples of the materials available that you can review right in the comforts of your home. Taking some time to review the samples that are available can be very helpful.  Just be certain that you consider your child and your learning style before making any actual purchases.