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4 Big Mistakes Homeschoolers Make That Can Derail Your Mission | 24

In today’s podcast, Leslie talks about 4 big mistakes that homeschoolers make that can truly derail our homeschool mission.

Listen till the end of the podcast and hear about the brand new project Leslie is releasing!

Additional Resources

  • Sign up to be among the first to know about Heart School— and you could even save 52% by jumping in early and telling your friends. Click here to get on that list now! Heart School opens tomorrow, so share and secure your discount NOW!
  • I’d love to get to know you better and see how we can serve you so well, we’ll wow your socks off… (You’ll get that reference if you click…) Click here to fill out a short survey. If you take the time to do so, you could WIN a free Heart School Class. (We’ll award several copies based on the number of entries we get.) I really, really want to know your heart and where you’re coming from. 
  • Need a little encouragement to get your Day Started? This article contains a printable with some verses that may be “just what the doctor ordered.” 🙂 Day Starters- Scriptures To Start Your Day Off Right https://bit.ly/2u02L7K
  • Praying for your children more strategically may be exactly what needs to be a non-negotiable for your homeschool year. I’d love to help you with that! Sign up for our free Praying for your Children email series by clicking here.
  • Check out the first two episodes of our Homeschool Family Bites series.

Four Big Mistakes Homeschoolers Make That Can Derail Their Mission

There are so many new homeschoolers entering the ranks this year. How exciting to think about the impact all those moms and dads will have on their children with the extra time they’re about to have with them— A. MAZ.ING!

As is often the case, though, newness comes with both excitement and a touch of fear (ok, let’s be honest, a whole lot of fear…)

I wanted to share with you a few mistakes that new homeschoolers make that if you can avoid them, you’ll get off to a much better start!

Mistake #1–Don’t recreate school at home.

I know, I know— ever since you were a child, you’ve wanted to play school for real, right?? (At least, that was my approach when we started.) 🙂 Finally, you get the chance to set up your classroom, make your rules, and manage everything and everyone as you teach the material like a pro. 😉 The thing is, a home classroom and a corporate classroom don’t need to function the same way. When we make the mistake of trying to wedge in the structure that’s needed in a group setting, we lose much of the flexibility and joy that’s available in a home setting. Approach your school through brand new eyes— and especially through the lens of your mission as a Christian homeschooling parent. Your mission AND your newly found freedom should be reflected in the way you set up your homeschool.

Mistake #2– Don’t let guilt override your detours.

For those of you who haven’t started up yet, you are probably thinking… what in the world is she talking about? So, let me explain. One of the greatest privileges of being a homeschool parent is the “detours” you get to take with your children. The conversations that truly go off the rails as you explore all kinds of things that really interest and excite your children. That’s all part of instilling a love of learning! But, if you don’t understand fully why you’re doing what you’re doing, the guilt of not doing it exactly as you experienced it in school will likely keep you back from taking those detours. Don’t ever let it!! The other great benefit of detours for a Christian homeschooler on mission is that those are the conversations that often give you the biggest insight into your child’s heart. Satan would LOVE to guilt you away from taking the time to have those discussions, so don’t ever let guilt override your detours!

Mistake #3– Don’t try to go it alone. 

I say it all the time, but I can’t say it enough— you were not created to walk alone!! God created people to live in community with one another, to bear one another’s burdens, to discuss, to share, to help, to cry together, to laugh together… and if you aren’t plugging into a community of like-minded homeschoolers, you’re robbing yourself of the life-giving properties those communities can give you. Plus, you are way more likely to get frustrated and give up way earlier without someone standing in the wings ready to cheer you on and help you stand back up when your knees are shaky. Look for other homeschoolers in your church or local homeschooling groups or co-ops to connect with. Virtual communities like Teach Them Diligently 365 also give you access to an amazing group to connect with 365 days a year—all while you also have access to incredible, Biblical resources to go along with it! But no matter how you choose to connect, take it from this introvert who thought she didn’t really like to be around many people… God’s design for us is best. Connect. Be vulnerable. Be authentic. Grow and help others grow by filling the hole in your community that only you can fill. You AND your homeschool efforts will be better off because of it.

Mistake #4–Don’t let lack of confidence be an issue.

You wonder if you can do it, right? You’re thinking you don’t have the patience or the organization or the time or the skill or the smarts or whatever to undertake the mammoth task of educating your children. But, here’s the thing— you DO!! In fact, you were born to teach your children… and you’ve been doing it since the day they were born. Just think of all the BIG things you’ve already taught them!! God tells parents that they are to Teach Their Children Diligently– and you already have years of experience under your belt. Still, it’s so easy to feel insecure about what we don’t know, isn’t it? That’s one reason I wrote Heart School— I wanted to walk you through exactly what homeschooling for the heart of your children really looks like and try to give you a vision for exactly how God can use this approach to strengthen your family and grow your children all at the same time. I encourage you to take the time to walk through that class— I firmly believe the confidence you’ll gain by doing so will go a long way towards making your homeschool year a massive success.

A Tool To Help You Avoid All The Mistakes

I have made all those mistakes along the way, so I can promise you they are huge stumbling blocks for all of us. As we have homeschooled for the past 10 years, and talked to thousands of families about homeschooling and discipleship, we have found that many Christian homeschoolers would identify as “Heart schoolers” if they had ever heard the term (Since I made it up when I was writing a course on the subject, though, they probably would look at you funny if you asked them.) Heart schoolers understand that homeschooling is about a lot more than just academics– and they know that the way they approach their mission as parents has a profound impact on the way they set up their homeschools… and everything else in their lives for that matter. 

So, this summer I wrote a video class to help people better understand just what Heart Schooling actually is– and how it can bring peace and success to their family in ways they may not have imagined possible. Heart schooling is an approach to home education that literally changes EVERYTHING for the families who use it– giving purpose to your days, strengthening all relationships within your family, making decision-making much easier, and giving your children a solid foundation for their future.  The anchors we discuss in the Heart School Class will help you stay on course when the days get long and difficult, and I wanted to share those anchors with you today. 

Sign up to get more information about the upcoming Heart School class— and you’ll even get a “pre-module” email series where David teaches on Goal Setting for families. That series is incredible! I believe it will be incredible helpful you in the days ahead. As part of that series, I will have David send you a printable with the 13 anchors that will help you stay on course. I would LOVE for you to join me for the Heart School class, for I believe with all my heart that no matter whether you’re a brand new homeschooler or you’ve been homeschooling for years, you will find this course to help you refine your vision, be more confident in your call, and be more joyful in your journey!

We want to hear from you! Submit your podcast questions, topic suggestions, and guest requests and help us make the Teach Them Diligently Podcast great. 

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