So often, homeschool days can devolve into tantrums, tears, and recriminations, and that’s just mom. Meltdowns and bad days happen, and we have to make our peace with that, but there are ways that you can set yourself up for success. To help you, Mary Ellen and Ginny introduce seven rules to set you up, reduce the bad days, and help your children enjoy their studies more.

Show Notes:

A big part of having a successful homeschool is having an environment that encourages learning. This does not mean a Pinterest-worthy school room; what you need is a well-lit, comfortable place to sit, a place to write, and a place to read. Bookcases, a spot for nature finds, some arts and crafts materials, and a place to play outside would help. Mary Ellen and Ginny have put it all together in these seven rules:

1. Make sure you (mom) do the prep work. Make the copies, set out the pencils, get the books together, and set up the clipboards. Even if you have to start later, it is better to be prepared.

2. Cultivate a rhythm to your days. Days are smoother when everyone knows what is expected of them and when.

3. Head off the frustration. If you see the child at the end of their rope, it is time to take a break. It is easier to prevent behavior than responding to it - because that can take all day.

4. Plan a few fun, out-of-the-house days/afternoons a semester. Get some fresh air and explore some new places. Visit something historic or uplifting. Schedule a regular park day with friends.

5. Take care of your physical self. Sleep, eat well, shower, and take a few minutes every day to do something that helps you feel good. Read a book, putter around the house, listen to a podcast, or do some gardening.

6. It’s important to remember why you are homeschooling. The academics are very important but you are also building a culture. You are creating an atmosphere where children learn to learn, be independent, and love God and their families.

7. Keep Calm and Carry On. You can work yourself into a nervous breakdown and still not cover everything. You want to raise a student who, as they carry on beyond your homeschool, can fill in the inevitable gaps independently.

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Angela’s child is an auditory learner, and she wanted some tips to help him. Her request made us think about how most students have a dominant learning style. And how we can fashion our homeschooling to help them succeed.

Today, we learn about the four major learning styles, how to work with our kids’ styles, and the importance of preparing them not to grow too dependent on their dominant style.

Okay, let’s define four major learning styles.

Visual Learners learn more through images, diagrams, charts, graphs, and pictures. These students doodle, annotate, and make visual notes to retain information better. Consumable workbooks are better for underlining, margin arrows, and highlighting.

Verbal Learners (sometimes called Reading and Writing) absorb information best when they use words, whether reading or writing them. Written words are more helpful than images or spoken words. They’re best at writing essays, articles, and books.

Auditory Learners absorb information better when lessons are spoken and might not need notes. They ask questions often or repeat what they have just heard aloud to remember it better. They benefit from reading out loud but can get distracted by the noise around them.

Kinesthetic Learners prefer to learn through movement, by doing. They can’t sit still for long and need more frequent breaks than others. They benefit from activities that reinforce the information just covered in class.

Why We Need a Multisensory Approach

Your child’s future professor or boss will not care what type of learner they are. Your kid will not be assigned an essay or a work report and asked to substitute an oral presentation or a diorama. Get them ready: use as many sensory approaches as possible for the best learning.

And always remember that repetition is the key to learning.

Thanks to Angela for sending us this idea!

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Kimberly asked Ginny and Mary Ellen how to juggle homeschooling when you have a huge family. You'll love every minute of their humorous reflections and insightful advice.

You may have a married kid or two with grandchildren dropping by while you're planning weddings and still homeschooling high school, middle school, and elementary school. Oh, and you're trying to keep the house clean enough so the Board of Health doesn't put your kids into foster care. Don't miss it.

Show Notes:

Let's talk about how moms of big homeschooling families can stay sane.

1. Have a School Schedule

Start schooling at the same time every day. An earlier start is better. If you have children too young to work independently, start with them.

2. For the Young Ones - Do the Essential Subjects with Them

But EVERY child has something they can do on their own: copy spelling words, finish a math page, etc. Be specific: "Those two pages have to be finished before you eat lunch, so don't dawdle."

3. For Students Who Mostly Work by Themselves - Have a Daily Appointment

Make sure they are staying on track. Set goals. "This chapter has to be read before tomorrow so you can start on the assignment. If you can't finish it during the school day, work on it after supper."

4. Don't worry about unessential subjects

Music in our family was piano lessons, voice lessons, or dance lessons. Anything I did not have to do! They were not cheated; two of my kids pursued fine arts after high school. Art lessons mainly were appreciation – Seton books and the Art Institute of Chicago. You can tour famous museums online, too. PE was town sports – that was enough.

5. Skip unnecessary busy work

If Junior is a good speller, give him a pretest on Monday. If he only gets one or two words wrong, have him write them ten times each and give him another oral test on Tuesday.

If there are twenty English problems identifying proper and common nouns, assign the first ten. If Janie gets them all right, move on to the next subject. Do the same thing with math fact problems. Repetition is the key to learning, but if you have it, you have it!

6. Schedule tidy time.

Having polished floors and sparkling windows can be challenging, but a tidy house makes all the difference to your peace of mind. Assign chores that include washing dishes and cleaning counters. Jackets are hung up, and laundry is folded and put away. Half an hour after school and another after dinner often does the trick if everyone chips in.

7. EVERYONE Chips In

If kids have moved back after college or are attending college while living at home, that's great. But a free ride does not include free maid service. They must take care of their laundry and clean up after themselves; they have to contribute their labor to the household: mowing the lawn, mopping floors, cooking dinner, whatever.

You Won't Regret It:

Young adults living at home should not be a burden – they should be just the opposite – fully contributing household members.

Thanks to Kimberly for sending us this idea.

Homeschooling Resources

Seton Home Study School

Seton Testing Services