“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Hello, dear sisters! I pray this blog finds you well! Today, I am writing for mamas who are ready to homeschool their little ones, but are not exactly sure which steps to take and, honestly, just the idea of homeschooling makes you anxious as it is. By the time you are done reading this blog, I hope you have that “This is easier than I thought!” moment. Because I promise, though homeschooling has its challenges, it is absolutely easier than you are thinking.
So let’s get to it.
An excerpt from one of my recent posts from Facebook:
“Homeschooling does not have to be done in the traditional way everyday or even any day. For example, one day last week my family and I went to the lake and my son learned how to throw his fishing reel, then did his academic work and words as he is currently learning how to read, then he jumped in the lake to learn how to swim with daddy, and finally grabbed some rocks and threw them into the lake as mommy got in for a little while to swim. He got to do boy things and learn all the same! Then, when we got home he read a little more as mommy made dinner and after dinner we all talked about the Lord.
Homeschooling can seem super intimidating, I know. But I want to encourage the mama who has been on the fence about her own convictions to do so, to go for it and trust the Lord. I too was you. I knew I wanted to homeschool my son since he was a baby and all my children to follow him because of the state of most schools – even most Christian ones. Plus it is an honor to see the fruit of my own hands (and my husband’s in the outdoor boy things and Bible teachings) by the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
But… I also knew how short my patience could be with teaching and the thought of one day teaching my son how to read eventually kinda scared me. Nothing else. Just reading. But fast-forward to early this year and we have gotten to that place and he is doing so amazing. God has grown me so very much in patience and handling stressful situations for both my son and I. Now we are finally cruising in learning and I have grown to see how my precious son learns and one day will get the honor to train up my sweet daughter in academics and womanhood.
I do not compare my children to where other children are – for every child is unique.
I do not teach my son things that do not apply to everyday life unless he is interested in it.
And, most importantly, we keep Christ first and center.
You can do it, mama. There are so many free resources out there for Christian homeschoolers. I get to spend my days with my babies and help my household in saving money and honor my God in another way. Even if all you could afford at first was just your Bible for the curriculum that is more than enough.
Children are never said in the Bible to be sent off into darkness everyday and to be the light. To be put in unnecessary spiritual warfare before they even know well what warfare is and have a relationship with Christ. But to be trained up in the way that they should go. I cannot expect the world to train up my child and then wonder why my child is so comfortable with the world.
This is war.
And I get that all families cannot. But there is a difference between simply cannot and being convicted by the Lord to and “just not” doing anything to try. And I also understand that all husbands are not always supportive of the idea. You must abide by the head of your own home in their final decision. But continue to pray on it if you really have the heart to do it.
Do you know in older biblical days children did not go off to school? The Jewish children only went off to school for a few years to learn and study the Torah – the Old Testament (the New Testament had yet to be written). All other things were learned from home. Trades, talents, any necessary academics and laws to be known, and gender roles. Absolutely beautiful.
I went to a very advanced high school and then went off to university for a few years and I can say that much of what I learned had worldly views and agendas all in it. My son will be educated, but not with a world’s view but a Godly one. It makes all the difference.
Homeschooling is hard, but watching your child grow up and be unequipped spiritually and consumed but the world is harder. Once little bad seeds here and there are planted and constantly watered, they are more difficult to uproot. I plan to write a blog soon for any mothers ready to take that step in faith. It will not always be easy, but it will always be worth it to know you did all you can to greenhouse your child until they were truly ready to be sent out as lights into a dark world.”
With much grace even now,
The Redeemed Wife
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother…”
– Proverbs 1:8
Before we begin, why do I homeschool and encourage other Christian families to do so also?
My family homeschools, educates our children from home, for several reasons.
The most important being we are directly told by God to train up our children in the way that they should go. Not leave it to strangers. Not leave it to the public/private man-mandated school systems. Not leave it to our own vulnerable and growing children to navigate spiritual warfare away from us. The responsibility is ours. So praise God for those of you moms who are letting the conviction of the Lord to do so drive you in obedience instead of falling into the feelings of inconvenience and anxiousness that the enemy tries to flood you with to derail you away from this blessed and most rewarding path.
“It’s not my credentials that qualify me to teach my child. It’s my God who made me qualified when I became a mom.”
— T. L. Chilvers
Reducing.
Reducing is key to the process of beginning homeschooling. For some households this may look like one spouse leaving behind their job or another family it may look like cutting back on extra expenses to provide material. For some families this means reviewing how they spend their time and removing most of what is unnecessary. If a mom already at home wanting to homeschool usually spends most of her day at the gym, hanging out with friends, shopping, scrolling through social media, watching movies, and so forth then she is about to have to really reevaluate her schedule to prioritize being your child’s teacher. You never stop being a mom which means you never stop being a teacher to your children even long after the “schoolwork” is done. So if your schedule is still chaotic or just mostly centered around “you,” then it’s time to ask yourself what is more important. Keep in mind, that you do not have to completely neglect the top few things you really enjoy, though you may have to get creative in getting it done, but your children and their education and well-being and spiritual raising are way more important than chatter time with your girls and “me time.” What we all need more of is Jesus time. But that’s a blog for another time.
Reduce. Reduce. Reduce. It will save you from headaches and stress later, dear sister.
Preparing.
Before you completely dive into homeschooling, check your local state laws at hslda.com. Handle all the proper lawful aspects first per school year. Easier than you think! Most states are pretty lenient in this area. Thank God!
Being prepared is where a lot of mothers begin to have anxiety. Just breathe. Find a curriculum that interests you and you also believe will be most fitting for your child and start there. Jumping out the gate with multiple curriculum is just going to scare everybody and leave you and your children hiding in bathrooms crying from stress! I kid, but I am serious. Add and adjust as you go from week to week and your at home schooling will flow.
And of course, preparation in curriculum and knowing what style of homeschooling you prefer to do is essential. However, I want you also to be prepared to make mistakes. Be prepared to take 15 minute breaks for the sanity of everyone involved on those harder days. God has given you this position and He will bless you in it and strengthen you through it. Rest in His faithfulness.
Focusing.
One thing for sure about homeschooling is that you have to be committed. If you are not committed yourself, do not expect your child to be.
Tip #1: Get a planner.
You can find a planner anywhere from a local store to free ones across the internet. I will just add a free one I saw not too long ago below to give you an idea of what they can look like.
Think of your most heartfelt goal that is under your, hopefully, first goal of growing in your relationship with Christ. And, hopefully, your second goal of being a good wife to your husband – if you are married. Then, replace whatever it is with being the best mom to your little ones. And just as you would apply all your efforts and zeal and attention into whatever goal that is – hone it in and focus on your babies. For they are far more significant than the greatest goal outside of the first two that you can have.
Focus. Homeschooling, though freeing and even flexible, still must be taken as a significant task and seen as the great honor it is.
Relaxing.
“Teach the child, not just the curriculum.”
— T. L. Chilvers
On the other hand, despite what you heard, homeschooling does not have to be one way or the other. As long as your child is learning, no matter the pace, you are going in the right direction. My homeschooling style is rather relaxed. I view the academic goals usually expected by the end of his age and then adjust those goals to what I deem necessary and other things he may enjoy and everything else gets tossed out. I am not preparing him for tests, I am preparing him for life. I usually plan his activities and learning on a weekly basis, but all of it flows together in step-by-step learning. My son at the age of 6 currently does about 3 hours of actual schoolwork a day spread out between morning, afternoon, and evening. The rest of the day is just living and learning and some days on the go (as my husband preaches all over the country). My son may fish on the lake, hunt in the woods, or garden at home with daddy some days. Other times, he may come with me to grocery shop and there apply budgeting his money. Sometimes school may be at the beach or at the park. I do not stress about it. Sometimes we can go a few days without doing any workbook lessons at all. I am consistent in his schooling, but laxed in my ways of doing school. It doesn’t bore him and he is not behind those his age. We have been programmed that school must be one way and one way only, but it is time for parents everywhere to unlearn the learned and go back to the wisdom from the days of old when children became adults and left home with more than a memory of random knowledge that most they will never use. But left home educated in the things that mattered most: Christ, morals, manners, trades of interest, gender roles, and educated in the subjects needed for day-to-day life.
I am blessed that I get to run my small candle business and also write for this blog from home without ever neglecting the needs of my family – my first and most important ministry.
Learn as you go. I say this a lot in this blog because it will happen a lot as you further in homeschooling. It’s inevitable!
Do not compare your children with others. Your child is unique. Just show up everyday, meet your daily goals, and continue to grow.
Enjoying.
Now, with no further ado, enjoy this freedom!
Be as creative as you like. Wake up your family on your own time. Set the schedule that fits for you and yours – whether you do school all year round with a week break every six weeks or you do school all through the year until summer. Smile because you are now training up your own child in the way that they should go – and not some stranger with secular degrees and beliefs. But you – mom. You.
And that is awesome.
With all that being said, let’s talk about the good stuff -established homeschooling resources available to you!
Christian resources available to you:
Easy Peasy (https://allinonehomeschool.com/) – Hear this, dear sister! It is not only Christian, but it is free. I have not personally used this one yet, but I have heard high reviews from fellow homeschooling moms.
Ambleside Online (https://www.amblesideonline.org/) – Same as the resource listed above. Christian-based and free. We have yet to try it in our home, but you may love it!
ABCJesusLovesMe (https://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/) – I started my son off on this curriculum along with School Zone workbooks and he loved it! Affordable and helpful. I love it because it is not internet based.
Abeka (abeka.com) – Abeka is great and I have been blessed by former homeschooling mamas and grandmas who have sent me old material they used from Abeka to now teach my son and later my daughter. So far I have loved it! Abeka is a paid Christian-based homeschooling curriculum, but if you do decide to get out the wallet – it’s worth it.
The Good and The Beautiful (https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/) – I have heard great things about this curriculum and it is on my scope for when my children get a bit older for I believe it is also not strongly internet based.
A Gentle Feast (https://agentlefeast.com/) – My husband’s friend’s wife introduced me to this one here. I have viewed some of their curriculum and how beautiful the art is and some of the studies I have seen. I definitely would recommend it if someone can afford their lessons. Currently, you can get two weeks free with an email sign-up!
Christian Light Education (https://christianlight.org/) – Affordable and for all grades. Your family can buy curriculum as you go. Easy website to navigate as well.
Super Book (https://us-en.superbook.cbn.com/episodes) – This is if you are wanting bible stories taught accurately – minus the three main fictional characters, of course. My children, even our oldest who is ten, enjoy this animated telling of biblical stories. The cheapest way to get the first 3 seasons is to watch from Amazon Prime.
Discounted/affordable resources available to you:
Power Homeschool (https://account.powerhomeschool.org/enroll/) – Great with supervision for this is not a Christian-based homeschool curriculum. I will be enrolling my son for the $25 a month soon just for a few extra lessons in non-secular affected subjects, but I cannot yet tell you if I love it or hate it, or if it is even worth the supplementing.
Miacademy (https://miacademy.co/) – Though it is said that they have implemented Christian subjects, it is not founded upon Christian belief. So it is up to your own discretion. It is currently priced at 9.95/month.
School Zone (https://schoolzone.com/collections/woorkbooks) – I absolutely love these workbooks! Great for early learning. Children take well to those colorful pages with simple instructions appropriate for their grade level.
Amazon (www.amazon.com) – I have found many great workbooks, learning activities, posters, and you name it from Amazon. Sometimes it is even super cheap when buying used. I have yet to be disappointed. Remember to always read reviews of sellers and the material being sold.
Dollar Stores (Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Dollar General, 5 Below, etc.) – I have bought my fair share of extra learning material from these discounted stores. From flashcards, wall posters, beginner books, art material, and more. Do not knock them ’til you try them.
Outschool (Outschool.com) – Great for a variety of classes, even most you do not commonly seen on other learning from home sites for children. They have music, photography, workouts, and thousands of various more. Some classes are free and those which are not seem to be reasonably price! Always check to make sure the courses, however, are not secular indoctrinating.
And, of course, free resources available to you:
The Holy Bible (hopefully, somewhere not collecting dust in your home) – I put this first because, as Christians, Christ should be first. You’d be surprised how you can build your own curriculum starting right their in the Word. The most important learning your children will ever get.
Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) – Very well-known free education resource for grades as high as 12th grade. I believe Khan does teach some worldview, so please do be discerning with which videos and learning material you do use with them. Otherwise, great explanations and well put together.
At Home Middle School (https://www.athomemiddleschool.com/) – Recommended by a fellow homeschooling mama. For those of you with middle-schoolers, it is worth checking out. But also holds a worldview in certain subjects, so proceed with caution before assigning material to your child.
Under The Home (underthehome.org) – Get your printer ready and you can have schoolwork and well-put together lessons in front of your child in no time. K-5. Discern from what they have to offer what fits best for your family.
Prodigy (https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/) – It is available for Math and English. Though I have yet to use it in my homeschooling, my bonus daughter of blessing absolutely loves their website for learning. She would even ask to play after her schoolwork was finished.
Free Math Program (freemathprogram.com) – It is said to be for grades 1-5. Worth giving a look into!
Carson Dellosa (https://www.carsondellosa.com/free-resources/) – Free worksheets available for you! All you need is a printer or local library to print these sheets from. Best for kindergarten and elementary.
K5 Learning (https://www.k5learning.com/) – For Kindergarten to Grade 5. Plenty of free worksheets and more.
Duolingo (https://www.duolingo.com/) – Want your child to learn a new language and for free? Look no further. I speak Spanish as a second language and I learned when I was 13 years old. Duolingo played a part in my growth and I know many people who started with Duolingo and became fluent within their chosen language. Kid-friendly with adult supervision.
YouTube (www.youtube.com) – The internet isn’t that bad after all! Search for whatever your child is needing help with or just videos for repetition of what they are being taught. If you are just now starting with a younger child, ‘Jack Hartmann’ will be a name you and your little one will get familiar with rather quickly!
Local Library – Do not overlook this great resource for learning. My son is involved in the summer reading program for our library AND he enjoys going for activity days. They learn of cloud formation, weather, planting, and more! Great for getting interaction with other kids beyond just going to the park and visiting our friends’ children.
Homeschooling Groups – There are many! Once again, great for socialization for you and your homeschooler. If we are being honest, most other families may see those who homeschool as odd so being around other families who do the same helps you see that it isn’t odd at all and what you are doing is worth it.
Facebook Groups – You are not alone, mama. This is best for mothers in more secluded areas who just feel like they need that extra support. You can meet many experienced moms doing what you do and have been where you are. Do not be afraid to join one of them and ask and learn as you go.
Pinterest (pinterest.com) – Last, but certainly not least. Pinterest is the hub to go for creative ideas, diys, free material, and so forth for many things. I have done many activities with all my children from Pinterest. On the weeks or days you want to add more excitement to your class lessons, this is the place to go.
**Keep in mind that my oldest homeschooled child is now 1st Grade level. So if you have older children you may have to do a bit more digging beyond the material provided above in my jump-start list. There are so many resources available, but with a little searching and asking around and you’ll be right where you need to be! Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed. A little at a time and some trial and error and you will get the hang of what is right for you and yours.
You can do this, mama. By the grace of God, you were born for such a time as this.
The Redeemed Wife
The Redeemed Wife 