Mary Ellen and Ginny began homeschooling before the age of influencers. They say that was an enormous blessing because there is a lot of bad advice out there.

The good news is that, using their combined over 50 years of homeschool experience, they have this to share: "The 5 Worst Pieces of Homeschooling Advice."

Program Notes:

Let's jump into some bad homeschooling advice.

1. If it's hard, you are doing it wrong. FALSE

• The complete opposite is true.
• It shames the mom into thinking she is doing something wrong.
• You are educating young minds, and they are not inclined to hard work.
• Homeschooling well, running a household, doing sports, etc., is hard work.

Tip: Recognizing it is hard and treating it like a full-time job will make your life easier.

2. Child-led learning will result in a complete education. FALSE

• Probably not – an attractive book is helpful but not enough.
• Math, grammar, writing skills, and foreign languages require effort and diligence.

3. Grading your child's work will kill their love of learning. FALSE

· Grades should never be a source of shame.

• They show if students are learning the material.
• Grades are a guide to adjust your methods or materials.

4. Routine oppresses you and makes you less creative. FALSE

• Children thrive when they know what to expect.
• Routine lets creativity thrive - mundane tasks are done by rote - leaving the brain free to create.
• Many famous writers and authors have structured routines they follow with success.

5. If you feel burned out or frustrated, you should switch curriculum. FALSE

· Being burnt out is not a good reason to switch your curriculum choices.

· Try other things before throwing the baby out with the bath water.

· Frequent switching of curriculum creates gaps in skills and knowledge.

There are many ways to cope with burnout - We did a whole episode on burnout – See the link below.

Homeschooling Resources

Coping with Burnout - Scroll down to Episode 10 on 1/25/23

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Homeschooling can take a lot of time. Then, we have to cook meals, clean the house, and do laundry. Oh, and do the shopping and cart kids around to activities.

It all can seem daunting, but Ginny and Mary Ellen share their proven solution: Take some of those chores off our plates and put them smack on the kids' plates.

Program Notes:

1. Start early - really early! As soon as they can walk.

• When you change a diaper, have the baby put it in the trash.
• When toddlers change their clothes, teach them to put dirty clothes in the hamper.
• Finishing up play time, have them stow their toys in the toy box or bin.

As they get older, but still preschool age:

• Insist that they clear their cups and plates after meals.
• They can put away clean silverware from the dishwasher.
• Teach them to tidy up.
• All of this is easier if you get an early start to the day.

2. Teach them all the necessary life skills

• Begin to teach them to do every household chore.
• Primary-grade kids can load a dishwasher while their older siblings rinse the dishes.
• They can empty it while you or older kids put away stuff in high cabinets.

Other little guy chores

• Dust furniture and run a vacuum.
• Empty room trash.
• Teach them how to do their laundry.

As they get older

• Teach them how to clean kitchens and baths
• Teach them how to operate a lawn mower safely and shovel walks.
• Teach them to follow a recipe and prepare meals.
• Make sure after-prep cleanup is included in the lesson.
• Before they leave for college, your children should be ready to run a household.

3. Assign specific tasks and make them regular responsibilities.

• Some parents use a "chore chart" route.
• The advantage is different children can learn various tasks over some time.
• The disadvantage is you have to remember to keep the chart updated

4. Don't allow them to treat adults or siblings like unpaid help.

• Do not allow your children to leave the table and dash off to play video games.
• Or, for that matter, dash off to do schoolwork.
• When dinner is finished, we all help clean up or get the little ones ready for bed.
• Perhaps taking out the trash.

5. Let them suffer the consequences of their actions or inactions.

• Teach the kids to do their laundry – if they forget - that's their problem.
• In the real adult world, no one else comes to clean, cook, or do laundry for you.
• Our kids need to be given responsibility.
• Too many are going to college without knowing how to fry an egg.

Homeschooling Resources

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Does teaching Shakespeare, the Constitution, or Apologetics terrify you? The fear can arrive even before high school. When my grandkids took 5th-grade life science, my DIL did a way better job teaching it than I would have. She’s a nurse and understands that stuff!

First potential solution:

Ask among your friends, neighbors, and folks at church. Maybe a mom who quit her nursing job when she had kids wants to make a few extra bucks teaching high school biology. It’s not difficult to find a Spanish speaker. It might be enough to correct pronunciation and explain different grammar rules. Would a local priest enjoy helping with Latin or Apologetics?

Sometimes, the simplest solution is close to home.

Another simple fix - Look online

If you don’t remember the Pythagorean theorem, you can find many clear explanations if you google it. The internet can be dangerous, but it can also be helpful.

Audiobooks

I did not advocate allowing kids to listen to their reading assignments, but Shakespeare’s plays were just that—plays intended to be performed on stage. Let the student read Merchant of Venice but then find a performance. It can make a big difference.

Recorded online classes

Sometimes, they are produced by a textbook company – Saxon Math has very popular videos, and Teaching Textbooks is another popular online math program. At other times, they are made by the homeschool provider to match their course offerings.

Dual enrollment

Most community colleges accept students aged 16 and up. Dual enrollment is an option for live classes. Prices are usually pretty reasonable. Important Note -If you enrolled in a home study school, check with one of their counselors to ensure they will accept your dual enrollment course for credit.

Homeschooling Resources

Seton Home Study School

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