There is an abundance of information out there about what and how to teach, but perhaps not so much about how to make it as successful as possible.

Follow our tips for successful homeschooling to make your experience and your child’s as positive as possible.

Tips for Successful Homeschooling

Are you feeling a little lost when it comes to homeschooling? You’re not alone. It can be tough to know where to start, and even tougher to keep things moving forward in the right direction.

But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips for rocking your homeschool and having a successful homeschooling experience.

Make Learning Fun

Public school kids are required to sit at a desk most of the day. Homeschoolers can make schooling more fun than that.

We can move around, learn on the go, and more! Have plenty of fun and make learning as enjoyable as possible.

Learning can be fun for you, too, as you learn new things alongside your kids.

Have a Positive Attitude

Unfortunately, there is so much in the world that is our of our control. It can be beneficial to teach your children to approach everything with a positive attitude.

Your children will absorb your attitude and mood like a sponge. So, stay upbeat and enthusiastic, and your children will reflect it.

Keep it Simple

It's easy to get overwhelmed when planning your homeschool year. There is so much information and so many choices out there when it comes to what to teach and how.

Keep your teaching and homeschooling simple. You don’t need an educational buffet of plans, curriculums, and approaches to succeed.

Put a limit on your searching and resource collecting or you risk paralysis by analysis and do nothing!

Be Flexible

Be practical about your plans, your resources, and your curriculum. If something isn’t working, try using it another way, and if it still doesn’t work, ditch it. There is little point sticking to a curriculum you all hate just because you already paid for it.

This goes for those weeks that seem to drag and everyone feels down too. Take a day off, take a field trip, go on a picnic, head to the beach. A day off may be just what you need to revitalize everyone!

Simplify Your Life

As a homeschooling parent, you must take steps to organize and simplify your life. Limit your commitments and outside activities to keep your life simple. You and your kids will be happier.

Organize errands and out of home activities into one or two days rather than interrupting your homeschool morning every day because you need milk or have to mail a package. Adjust your schedule as your kids grow and life changes.

Limit Interruptions

Turn your phone off! We live in an age of instant communication, but your child and their learning come first. Everyone else can wait.

Inform family and friends of your schedule and keep your homeschool time sacred. That means no phone calls and no drop in visitors. Just homeschool.

Switch Off Work-Mode

If you work from home, it can very tempting to check your emails or do a couple of bits of work while your child is painting.

Don’t! Set a time for your work and a time for homeschool and keep the two separate. This keeps you engaged and prevents you from being sucked into a task that will distract you from your homeschool tasks.

Don't Be a Disctraction

Don’t be a distraction to your kids. Even if you don’t have other work to do, the temptation to sneakily load the dishwasher or take out the trash can be strong.

Don't run around doing other things while your kids are trying to study. Stay focused on your children’s education during this time.

Don't Beat Yourself Up

Have confidence and remind yourself that you can do this. If you are doing all that you can, your children will learn and be successful.

Children across the world learn in all kinds of environments. Be enthusiastic with each new day, get help when you need it, and keep going. Your children and their education will be fine.

If in Doubt…Read!

If you get stuck… read. Reading skills are the key to everything, and without them your child will never reach their full potential.

If your day goes to pot because everyone is in a bad mood or something bad happens, just take some time to sit and read with your kids.

There is no better life preserver for a day that has spun out of control than to cuddle up and read with your children.

Ask for Help

There are so many online groups and forums that there is always some available and willing to give you advice. So, take some time to reach out and ask for help.

Whether you want advice, answers, or just some rejuvenating conversation and reassurance, check in with your on and offline homeschool buddies and talk.

Homeschooling is one of the best things you can do for your kids, and you will look back on these years with joy.

But right now, there will sometimes be days when everything goes wrong, when there just isn’t enough time in the day.

But this doesn’t mean your homeschool is a failure or you are doing anything wrong.

Stay focused, plan as best you can and follow these tips to make homeschooling a success for your family.

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Many people are under the impression that homeschooling is cheap since you don’t need to find school fees or the various costs for public school equipment and events. But that is not entirely true.

Just what are the financial costs of homeschooling?

The truth is, homeschooling expenses can be greater than if you send your child to a regular public school. However, this varies according to how you choose to homeschool, for instance, whether you use a bought curriculum or not.

The largest expense for homeschooling parents is resources. You will need to buy or plan a curriculum, to acquire textbooks, course materials, study aids and equipment such as a microscope and math manipulatives.

Secondly, you will need appropriate furniture such as tables, chairs, lighting, computer equipment etc.

Of course, these can be items you already have and repurpose for homeschooling, or you may be able to get some from yard sales or secondhand sales.

You will also need stationery, including an endless supply of paper, writing accessories such as pens, pencils, erasers, and art supplies.

The final cost may be online courses, tutors, and extra-curricular classes and activities such as dancing or music lessons. There is often a cost for these when children attend public school, but it is heavily discounted. Homeschoolers may not be able to take advantage of this but check with officials in your area.

Affordable Homeschooling

However, you can design your homeschool curriculum yourself and make it cost almost nothing. Use all the materials and resources readily available to you, for example scraps from a Creative Reuse centre or the expertise of a family friend.

By using what you already have creatively and tapping into all resources available to you, you can homeschool your child for minimal cost.

Use your local libraries and museums extensively, shop creatively at the Dollar Store for supplies, and tap into local homeschool and Freecycle networks to get as much as you can for a few dollars or even free.

There is also a wealth of material available online for free. Research the best resource libraries, lessons and courses online to see what would suit your child’s needs. Make sure you bookmark plenty for future studies too.

Follow homeschool blogs that resonate with your homeschool style and sign up for their mailing lists for recommendations and even some freebies. Many also have free resource libraries for their followers.

You can also find many fiction and non-fiction texts online or to download to your Kindle for free, but if you prefer buying books there are still plenty of ways to save. Look for local second-hand bookstores, or search online. Ask around in local homeschool co-ops and groups for people who may be selling books cheap and check out garage sales and thrift stores for suitable books too.

Your library really is your best friend, so roll up with your list of required books and ask the librarian what they can do to help. If you plan your curriculum a few months ahead of time you can be sure to collect the books and resources you need together in advance.

Finally, talk to your family and friends about what you are studying with your child. Many people will have books and other resources they will be happy to lend and may even add their own expertise for a free ‘class’ for your child.

Homeschooling can cost a lot of money, but with some advanced planning and creativity, you can bring the cost down considerably. To save money on your homeschooling costs, don’t be afraid to ask, talk to everyone you can, and look around at every opportunity for resources. That way you can educate your child without busting your budget in the process.

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms

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Here’s how to make homeschooling affordable…

How to Make Homeschooling Affordable

The cost of educating a child at home can be surprisingly high. Up-to-date textbooks, course materials, a library full of books, computer equipment, and extra furniture (book cases, desks, etc.) all cost money.

Add to this any additional tuition cost for tutors or co-op classes and the total cost can be mind boggling.

But it is possible to homeschool successfully for a more affordable cost!

Let’s start with the homeschool curriculum. Many boxed curriculum can be expensive, and need to be bought every year! However, if you look online, you can buy the same materials from homeschoolers re-selling their books second-hand.

Often, you can find learning materials and other resources without having to buy them. You can borrow books, videos, and music from the library. You can also download many educational materials online and print them out yourself.

Having a membership to your local theatre, concert hall, ballet or other cultural events can also help in cutting costs. It's often cheaper to purchase tickets in bulk or “homeschool day” tickets than to buy them for each individual event.

Sometimes, it is even possible to barter services. For instance, the mother of an 8-year old gives dance classes, and her daughter receives art lessons for free.

Homeschool support groups and co-ops can help you to divide the cost of field trips, science projects and fairs. Online homeschooling forums can also point you in the direction of free and cheap learning materials. They are also a great source of tips for making homeschooling cheaper and easier.

Homeschooling communities are a great way to pool resources and share them among the members. Many field trip venues offer group discounts. Homeschool families can go together to utilize the group price.

You can also teach your child a great deal in your home. Teach him about animals and plants in your backyard or the local garden community. Learn science and maths through baking.

Family field trips are another great resource that is often under-utilized. You could teach history by visiting historical sites, many of which are free or offer cheaper tickets for homeschoolers.

Teach science at the zoo, aquarium, or local nature preserve. Look for homeschool day tickets.

Homeschooling can be an expensive choice for parents. There are many expenses that need to be considered and the financial burden can be heavy, particularly if only one parent is working.

However, the advantages of homeschooling far outweigh the costs. By following these tips, you will also be able to make homeschooling more affordable.

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms

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Homeschooling is a tremendous responsibility, but the rewards for your child and your family can be priceless. Here’s how to decide if homeschooling is right for your family…

Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family

Parents who think that they need a teaching degree to teach their child are wrong. The education children receive from a loving parent can be much greater than what they'll receive in public school.

You don’t need a teaching degree or even a college degree of any kid, just the desire to give your child a quality education. If there are subjects that you don’t feel comfortable teaching it is possible to hire a tutor for those classes.

A rewarding homeschooling experience for both you and your child requires two things. Your own dedication to teaching your children and determination. You must truly want your child to succeed and be willing to put in the time and effort it takes for your child to reach their potential.

Public school teachers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of students they must control in every class. They cannot spend the individual time with each child that is necessary to bring out that child’s best.

Teaching one-on-one also means that your child can go at their own pace without the pressure to keep up in a classroom. Public school teachers have their curriculum all laid out for them and must move at a predetermined pace so that they can get through their study programs. Even if this means moving forward before every child is ready.

You on the other hand, can make sure your child fully grasps a specific subject before moving forward. Or spend time exploring something they love in greater depth. This will allow your child the opportunity to learn as they should be learning and at a pace they can keep up with.

Homeschooling can help children blossom and bring out a child’s full potential like nothing else can. And you, more than anyone else, want your child to reach their full potential.

For many families, one of the biggest advantages of homeschooling is that you can incorporate your own religious and moral beliefs into the education. This is not something that is taught in the public school system.

You can come up with your own homeschooling curriculum which can include religious or moral beliefs. And, by taking control of a child’s education, a parent can shape their child’s value system better than anyone else.

This also means that you have total control over what your child is taught. If you consider the classics or the natural world to be of primary importance in education, you can tailor your curriculum to cover those areas in greater depth. You can also follow your child’s interests and see where it leads.

Time and flexibility is another important factor for some families. You can take a field trip anytime you desire, and vacation when everyone else is still in school.

There are negatives as well as positives to this, however. The biggest negative is that homeschooling will take up a lot of your time. Not just teaching, but also planning, organizing resources and more.

This could be a big sacrifice, especially if you are struggling financially and need to work. However, with a real desire you may be able to live without luxuries that will give you the time you need to offer your child the education they deserve. However, it is possible to make homeschooling more affordable for your family.

If you want to have more input in your child’s learning and add some moral or religious teaching to their education, then homeschooling is probably for you. The greatest thing you will need to give up is your time, but you may well consider this a sacrifice worth making for your child’s education and childhood.

The pros and cons of homeschooling are many, but if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for your family, then give it a try.

You will develop a closer bond with your kids than ever before and be able to spend time together both learning and having fun more than many families in the public school system. Is homeschooling right for your family?

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With the start of a new calendar year, I begin thinking about what we'll be using in our next school year.

We won't start our new school year until August, but I spend the winter months researching for the year ahead.

How to Stick to a Homeschool Budget

Homeschooling does not have to cost a fortune. It is very possible to do it very inexpensively – even free, if necessary.  

Make a list of what you plan to teach each child for the upcoming year, and then use the tips below to purchase your curriculum and supplies as inexpensively as possible.

Look at what you already have.

I originally wrote this post in my 14th year of homeschooling. This year, I graduated my youngest, but the advice is still worth sharing.

Over the years, I have accumulated quite a collection of homeschool materials. Each year, when I begin preparing for the upcoming year, I pull out the homeschool totes I have stored in the basement.

I sort through the books and materials to see what I already have for the next grade. I set aside anything that is the right grade or topic {Am History or chemistry} for my plans for the year.

From that pile, I set aside things I don't want to use this year. Sometimes, what I used with one child isn't a good fit for another one. Sometimes, the materials don't fit our cycle {for history and science, for example}.

Maybe my middle son studied biology in 5th grade, but my daughter wants to study chemistry. The things I know I won't use again – ever – go in a box to be sold. The rest goes right back in the tote for next year's evaluation.

Then, I update my list by noting what I have that will work for the upcoming year. Do I need any supplemental materials – science supplies, living books, a new consumable workbook for a text we'll use?

I now add these items to my list so that I can purchase all {or most} of our supplemental materials at the beginning of the year.

Can you buy used or find freebies?

From there, I start searching online. Are there free online literature guides that I can use? What about free notebooking pages, printables or lapbooks?

Has a fellow blogger created a schedule for a particular curriculum that is on my list? Are there any free curriculum sites that will fit our course of study for the year?

If so, start marking things off of your master list by listing the site where each item can be found. Create a Pinterest board dedicated to the upcoming school year so you have all of your information in one place.

After you've found all of the freebies that you can, start searching for used curriculum. In addition to yard sales, websites like the ones I've listed below sell used curriculum or have a classified section where you can search for the curriculum on your wish list:

• Exodus Books
• Homeschool Classifieds
• Paperback Swap
• Well Trained Mind Forum – This is where I buy and sell the bulk of my used curriculum.

What do you have left to purchase?

Now that you've gone through what you already have and you've searched high and low for free or used items, reevaluate your list.

What do you have left to purchase? Are the items left on your list must-haves? Or are they wants? How much do you have left in your homeschool budget?

Start with your most-needed supplies, and purchase those first if you still have money in the budget. Then, continue to work your way down that list until you are out of money.

At this point, hopefully, you have purchased all or most of your must-haves. Hopefully, you've saved quite a bit of money along the way.

What tips do you have for sticking to a homeschool budget?

Related Posts

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Whether you've dreamed of homeschooling your kids from the start or you're making the switch after a crazy school year, getting started looks the same. Take some time to get educated about your options, create a plan of action, and prepare for your homeschool experience.

It's never too late to start planning for a new homeschool journey. You can spend all summer planning for a new year, or you can prepare on the fly if you just decided today that you want to homeschool your children.

How to Get Started Homeschooling

The decision to homeschool your child is a major one. It can be overwhelming at first, but the process isn't as difficult as it may seem.

Here are some things to think about as you start preparing for the upcoming year:

Get educated.

The first place to start is to find the homeschool laws in your state. You can find a lot of information about laws in your state on the HSLDA website.

One you've determined your state's laws, it's time to decide what to teach in your homeschool. I've written before about this topic.

You'll also need to determine whether you're going to use a prepackaged homeschool curriculum or if you're going to piece together your own program.

Finally, now that you know what you're going to teach and what type of curriculum you prefer, it's time to start choosing your homeschool curriculum.

Start planning.

Now, it's time to start shopping for your homeschool. This doesn't have to be an overwhelming process. Once you've searched your home for books and supplies, you can shop stress-free for the rest of the books and curricula you will need this year.

Create your routine.

Decide how you're going to structure your day, week, month, and year. Your daily routine will depend on a variety of things. How old are your kids? Do you have outside commitments to work around? How much hands-on time do your kids need with you?

Those same questions will help you work on a weekly schedule, too. Will you try to teach each subject every day? Will you follow a 4-day or 5-day plan? Are you going to schedule field trip or co-op days each week?

Monthly schedules should take into consideration holidays, doctor's appointments, and family travel. Will you build in a catch-up day?

For your yearly schedule, determine whether you will follow the traditional school schedule or school year round. Or, will you create your own routine to fit your family's needs?

Prepare your home environment.

If you have time, do a deep cleaning of your home and your homeschool space. Getting started in a space that is free of clutter and chaos will make the start of your journey much smoother.

Determine where you'll homeschool. Will you have a dedicated homeschool room or will you homeschool wherever you can? Will your kids work at desks or at the kitchen table?

Wherever your learning space will be, stock that area with your supplies. I've homeschooled out of crates at the kitchen table. I've stored our homeschool supplies in hall closets. In later years, I had a dedicated homeschool room which housed all of my books and supplies.

Trust the process.

You've decided to homeschool for a reason. Realize that some days will be extremely difficult and make you question your decision. It's inevitable. Some days will be so easy that you'll feel like a rockstar! These day are inevitable, as well.

On those tough days, remember your whys. Adjust your focus, and rediscover the joy of homeschooling.

On those days you feel behind in your homeschool, just keep going. It's okay! And, you may find that you aren't actually behind.

More Homeschool Tips

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