When we sat down to start considering the academic program we would create for our homeschooler, a rising 9th grader, my wife and I found direction by answering, “What kind of person do we hope she will be?”
When it is time to start homeschooling, especially if the decision is made with a sense of urgency, the temptation to focus on what to study and choosing curriculum is a trap. Such a focus will derail a family and direct their attention away from creating a program that is transformational.
My wife and I sat on the couch and began thinking about what resources were necessary to get started, but that was not the right question. We paused and I asked, “Who do we want her to be?”
This is the right question. Think about all the potential and promise of your child; who they could be if given proper guidance and support. A particular curriculum will never fuel a parent’s drive to homeschool their children for the duration of their education, but a vision of their best self certainly will.
In our case? We want her to be faithful. We want her to find whatever it is she is passionate about, and work hard for it. We want her to learn to work diligently in whatever her hands find to do. We want her to learn how to cook and eat well, learn to start a business (hone her entrepreneurial skills!), follow a routine and stick to it, and gain confidence and mastery in her schoolwork.
When you decide to homeschool, you acknowledge that a child is worth more and capable of more than any school can offer them. So let each of us make that our focus.
If you need to start and you don’t have every question answered, it is okay to begin and figure some things out later.
Don’t know which history curriculum to use? Delay starting history. Not sure if you have all the math manipulatives your child needs to be successful? Begin at a slower pace without the pressure of a curriculum’s timeline, and, if needed, add resources as you go.
Certain questions seem essential until we realize:
When we homeschool, we don’t have to play by the rules of the school system. We can give our child the best education possible, not because we have the best resources available, but because as parents we have their best interest placed firmly at the forefront of everything we do.
Not sure how to break out of the mold and mindset of traditional schools? When you join the Homeschool Mastery Group you get expert guidance to help unlearn broken systems and design something that perfectly fits your family’s needs.
Book a free call and start taking steps toward seeing your child reach their full potential.
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