No one wants to fail, but many do end up failing when they decide to homeschool their kids. Homeschooling is not an easy decision to make and succeed in. You might know some family or two who tried and gave up on it quickly.
If you do think homeschooling is the best decision you can make for your children, here are some setbacks and downfalls commonly associated with homeschooling. Learning from the mistakes others have made is the best way you can succeed at homeschooling your kids. There are a couple of reasons behind the possibility of homeschooling failing a student and parents with certain aspects that should be avoided for the best chance of success.
Having No Structure
Do you have a plan? Do you know what you want your child or children to accomplish by the end of the year or semester? Have you worked out a schedule for both the child and you? Without proper planning, your homeschooling idea is doomed to fail.
This is especially true if you want to homeschool multiple children of various ages by yourself. Without a proper plan, schedule, and goal to achieve, your kids won’t be learning a thing!
Unrealistic Expectations
Expecting your 5th-grade-aged child to solve algebra is unrealistic. Expecting them to finish novels right after they learn how to read is unrealistic. It is really easy to fall into this trap of unrealistic expectations. If you follow this pattern, your child (maybe even you) will get burned out fairly quickly.
You have to understand that every child is different, and they all learn at different speeds. Know your child and plan their curriculum with their abilities, weaknesses, and strengths in mind. You need to design a study plan that matches their learning abilities while also helping them reach their learning goals.
Discipline Problems
A bigger percentage of parents stop homeschooling not because they can’t teach their children academics but because they cannot control and discipline their children. If your children disobey orders and misbehave when they don’t want to study, you won’t be able to teach them anything.
Your children’s feelings are important. However, as a parent, you have to discipline and teach them to obey, so they listen and learn during class. Discipline doesn’t just stop at the children, but it matters to the parents as well.
Going At It Solo
Too many homeschool fail because parents try going at it solo. Homeschooling can quickly become overwhelming, especially when your children grow older and their curriculum gets harder. Socializing and friendships aren’t important for homeschooled children alone but also for the parents.
Looking for support groups, attending seminars, and going on field trips with other homeschooling families are good ways to connect and socialize with other families in similar situations. Having someone to talk to and bounce ideas and questions off of can help in a huge way.
Not Listening To The Child
As we said before, planning is important but what you don’t want to do is get lost in your own planning and not listen to what your kids want. The best part of homeschooling your child is making them the most comfortable they can be, which means listening to their suggestions and ideas. Of course, you need to set some boundaries. Still, being flexible and letting your children’s voices get heard can greatly impact the success of your homeschool.