Governor Ivey’s announcement that all Alabama public schools are closed for the remainder of this school year has a lot of parents scrambling for child care. For the first time, many families are thinking about what homeschool life will be like, and worrying about how they will balance it all. So we went straight to the experts – homeschool educators that have a lot of experience with that exact situation – an they offered up their tips and advice on how to get started.

10 Tips From Homeschooling Moms

1. Find a comfortable routine before you worry about being productive. – Christy M.

2. Don’t try to do everything every day. If your student has a lot of assigned work and needs your help, it is okay to ignore the household chores. Tomorrow, when their load is lighter, they can help you with age-appropriate tasks. If their assignments are on the light side, play, reading, and just being a kid teach our students more than we think! – Christa L.

3. Give yourself and your child grace during this time. With the removal of peer pressure and the changes in the world, your child may have periods of rebellion, self-discovery, and may even act out. This is normal and to be expected! Love them through it and draw nearer to them! – Melissa M.

4. Everything is a learning experience. Put your child at ease and let them know that everyone is in this together. – Susan H.

5. Homeschool doesn’t have to be public school at home — kids don’t have to sit at the kitchen table doing work for seven hours. Establish a flow of what you want to get done in the day, and build in plenty of time to play and learn daily living skills. – Holly S.

6. You really will be surprised how much kids learn doing everyday things. Read out loud to them, or take turns reading out loud if they are older (even middle school!). Play board games together. Cook new recipes with them and let them measure ingredients. Find out what kind of learner your child is – that will tune you into the most effective ways to present educational information in a way they absorb it best. – Stephenie W.

7. Focus learning opportunities based on your child’s unique interests and give yourself a lot of grace.
– Nancy V.

8. Be gracious… to yourself and your children. Education and learning are more than books and tests. Take it one breath at a time when one day at a time is too much. – Curt-Cari W.

9. Take breaks when you need to! If meltdowns hit – them or you, take a break and go do something fun instead. The work will be there later. The emotional and mental health of your family is more important than them memorizing their multiplication tables today. Also, homeschool is *not* school at home. It can look like what you want it to look like! Sleep later if that works for your family. My older kids do a lot of their school at night because it works better for them. My youngest needs to take energy busting breaks. He stick-handles in the kitchen (hockey player), does jumping jacks, or something physical. We sometimes watch nature shows instead of science from a book. Let them work ahead if they want! This year my kids do five days of work in four days so we can have a day off every week. Finally, don’t compare. Do what works best for your family! – Melissa M.

10. Your kids will learn despite your worst efforts. Trust. – Karen G.

You Might Also Like…

• How to Create a Self-Directed Homeschool Environment
• Board Games That Count as Homeschooling
• Entertaining & Educating Kids at Home During School Closures
• More About Homeschooling in Huntsville

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