It is a question that can catch a homeschooling parent completely off guard.

Perhaps your child has always been homeschooled but has become curious about school. They see school buses, sporting events, dances, lockers, and groups of friends portrayed in movies and online. From the outside, school may look exciting.

Or perhaps your child attended school before you began homeschooling. They may miss their old friends, familiar routines, extracurricular activities, or the feeling of belonging to a larger group.

When your homeschool child says they want to go to school, you do not need to panic. And you should definitely not assume that homeschooling has failed.

Instead, listen carefully, discover what is really behind the request, and respond with both compassion and parental wisdom.

Don’t miss the big giveaway towards the bottom of this post!

What to Do When Your Homeschool Child Wants to Go to School

Begin by Finding Out Why Your Child Wants to Go to School

The first question to ask is not, “Should I put my child in school?”

The first question is:

“What does my child believe school will give them that they don’t have now?”

Children rarely ask to attend school because they have carefully compared educational philosophies, curriculum quality, classroom structure, and long-term academic outcomes.

More often, they are looking for something else.

They may want:

• More friends
• More time with a particular friend
• Access to sports or activities
• A larger social circle
• Greater independence
• A more predictable routine
• Time away from their parents
• The experience they have seen in movies or on social media
• An opportunity to see a boy or girl they like
• Relief from a homeschool routine that is not currently working

Do not dismiss these desires. Some of them represent legitimate needs. Your child may truly be lonely, bored, discouraged, or craving more independence.

However, recognizing the need does not mean you must accept your child’s proposed solution.

Your child may correctly identify the problem while choosing the wrong way to solve it.

Listen Without Immediately Debating

When children ask to go to school, parents sometimes become defensive.

They may begin listing everything wrong with public school or reminding the child of all the sacrifices the family has made to homeschool.

That response can cause the child to stop talking before you discover what is really happening.

Begin with questions instead:

• “What interests you about going to school?”
• “What do you think school would be like?”
• “What do you feel you are missing?”
• “Is there something about homeschooling that has been difficult lately?”
• “Are you feeling lonely?”
• “Are you hoping to spend more time with someone in particular?”

Listen calmly. You are gathering information, not surrendering your authority.

A child who feels heard will usually be more willing to hear your answer.

Do Not Confuse Listening With Letting the Child Decide

Parents should listen carefully to their children, but listening does not mean handing children the responsibility for major educational decisions.

Children and teenagers can offer valuable insight into their needs. They should be included in age-appropriate conversations about their education. But they do not yet possess the experience, judgment, or long-term perspective necessary to make every decision for themselves.

Parents routinely make decisions children do not completely understand.

We decide what food enters the home. What media they may consume. Which environments are safe. What responsibilities they must fulfill. Which influences should have regular access to them.

Education is no less important.

You may trust your child’s intentions while still questioning the environment they want to enter.

A parent might say:

“This is not about whether I trust you. I trust that you want to make a good choice. But you would not control the curriculum, the classroom, the other students, or the influences surrounding you. It is my responsibility to consider all of those things.”

Your child’s feelings matter. But the final responsibility still belongs to the parent.

Avoid Treating Homeschooling as a Temporary Experiment

One of the most difficult ways to begin homeschooling is to tell your child:

“We will try homeschooling for a little while, and you can always go back to school if you do not like it.”

Although this may sound flexible and reassuring, it can prevent a child from ever fully adjusting to homeschool life.

Every difficult lesson, lonely afternoon, disagreement, or disappointing day becomes evidence that homeschooling “isn’t working.” Going back to school remains an escape route.

The child may resist forming new routines or friendships because they are still waiting to return to their previous life.

Homeschooling inevitably includes difficult seasons. Parents become tired. Children lose motivation. Curriculum needs to be changed. Social needs shift. None of these problems automatically mean that the family should abandon homeschooling.

When parents have thoughtfully decided to homeschool, children need to know that the family is committed to making it work.

You might say:

“We are a homeschooling family, and we are not planning to enroll you in school. But I want to understand what you are missing so we can work together to improve your experience.”

A firm answer is not the same as an uncaring answer.

In fact, removing the uncertainty can help children stop campaigning for school and begin working with their parents to build a better homeschool life.

Address the Need Beneath the Request to Go to School

Once you understand why your child wants to go to school, address that concern directly.

When Your Homeschool Child Wants More Friends

Friendship is one of the most common reasons homeschool children ask to attend school.

It is reasonable for children to desire companionship. Parents should take loneliness seriously. However, placing a child in a building with hundreds of other children does not guarantee close, healthy friendships.

A child can feel deeply lonely in a crowded school.

Rather than treating school as the only source of socialization, help your child develop relationships more intentionally.

Look for:

• Families who share your values
• Homeschool clubs
• Church activities
• Community classes
• Volunteer opportunities
• Sports or physical activities
• Debate, theater, music, art, or photography groups
• Regular gatherings with one or two compatible families
• Online homeschool classes with supervised social opportunities

Do not merely search for children who happen to be the same age. Look for families whose character, priorities, and direction complement your own.

Children should not be forced to like someone simply because their parents approve of the family. However, parents can create opportunities for healthy friendships by bringing compatible children together.

Quality matters more than quantity.

One loyal friend who encourages your child toward wisdom, faithfulness, and excellence can be far more valuable than a large social circle built around popularity, rebellion, or constant comparison.

When Your Child Misses Activities

Sometimes children are not asking for school itself. They are asking for something associated with school.

They may want to join a sports team, choir, dance, graduation ceremony, more competitions, or a more regular schedule outside the home.

Once you identify the particular activity, look for ways to provide it without abandoning your educational convictions.

Community organizations, homeschool leagues, private instructors, churches, libraries, museums, online academies, and local businesses may offer many of the same opportunities.

You may not be able to recreate every school experience—and you do not need to. The goal is not to copy school at home. The goal is to meet your child’s genuine developmental needs in a healthier and more purposeful way.

When Your Homeschool Child Wants to Go to School Because They Are Bored or Unmotivated

A request to attend school may reveal that your current homeschool routine needs attention.

Ask yourself:

• Is the curriculum too easy or too difficult?
• Does every day feel exactly the same?
• Is my child working alone for long periods?
• Does my child have meaningful goals?
• Are there opportunities to discuss ideas?
• Is my child learning practical, creative, and challenging subjects?
• Does my child know why their education matters?
• Have family tensions made homeschooling unpleasant?

Homeschooling should not simply be public school worksheets completed at the kitchen table.

Children need books, conversations, projects, responsibilities, challenges, mentorship, beauty, movement, creativity, and opportunities to use what they are learning.

Your child may not need school. Your child may need a more engaging education.

When Your Child Wants Greater Independence

Older children sometimes associate school with freedom.

They imagine having their own schedule, spending time away from their parents, making independent decisions, and participating in a world that belongs to them.

The desire for growing independence is natural. It should not be ignored—but independence must be developed gradually and responsibly.

Consider giving an older child:

• Greater control over the order of assignments
• A role in selecting electives
• Independent projects
• Volunteer work
• A part-time job
• Leadership responsibilities
• Opportunities to teach younger children
• Supervised social time
• Responsibility for planning and completing long-term goals

Children do need room to mature. They do not necessarily need to enter a traditional school environment in order to do so.

Explain Why Your Family Homeschools

Children are more likely to value homeschooling when they understand its purpose.

Do not allow homeschool to feel like the strange thing your family does while everyone else participates in normal life.

Give your child a positive vision.

Explain what homeschooling allows your family to do, like study subjects that schools don’t have, read meaningful books that they enjoy, move at a personalized pace, etc. 

Your explanation should not consist entirely of fear.

Children need to know what you are protecting them from, but they also need to know what you are preparing them for.

Tell them:

“We are not homeschooling because we are afraid of the world. We are homeschooling because your childhood is valuable, your education matters, and we want to prepare you to enter the world with wisdom, courage, character, and useful abilities.”

Give them something worth choosing.

Help Your Child See the Difference Between an Education and a School Experience

Children often assume that going to school and receiving an education are the same thing.

They are not.

A school is one method of organizing children, teachers, lessons, schedules, and activities. An education is the formation of a person’s knowledge, judgment, character, abilities, habits, and understanding.

A child can attend school every day and receive a poor education. A child can also learn at home, through books, mentors, travel, work, service, classes, conversations, and real-world experiences.

Remind your child that youth is brief.

There are only so many years available to prepare for adulthood. Homeschooling provides the opportunity to use those years intentionally rather than simply following the same standardized path as everyone else.

Your child’s education should help them become capable of doing something valuable—not merely help them complete the same assignments as thousands of other students.

Be Willing to Improve Your Homeschool

A commitment to homeschooling should not become an excuse to ignore your child’s concerns.

Parents can maintain a firm boundary while still making meaningful changes.

After listening to your child, you may decide to:

• Join a club
• Schedule more regular outings
• Invite another family over
• Change curriculum
• Add live classes
• Introduce electives
• Create clearer daily routines
• Reduce unnecessary busywork
• Add more physical activity
• Find a mentor
• Give your teenager more responsibility
• Set academic or personal goals together

You do not have to choose between surrendering your convictions and refusing to change anything.

A wise parent can say:

“School is not the answer we are choosing, but I agree that something needs to change. Let’s make a plan.”

Back to Homeschool Giveaway!

To make improving your homeschool a little easier, I’ve joined a special giveaway by homeschoolers for homeschoolers! Enter to win 4, $200 gift cards towards any homeschool company of your choice! Simply use the giveaway widget below!

Abbreviated Terms & Conditions: The 2026 Back to Homeschool Giveaway is hosted by Hope In The Chaos and runs from August 3-12, 2026. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and currently homeschooling or planning to homeschool a child in their household during the 2026-2027 homeschool year. By entering, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating giveaway partners. Four winners will be selected at random using KingSumo and notified by email no later than August 17, 2026. The complete Official Terms & Conditions are available here. By entering the giveaway, you agree to the full terms & conditions. 

What to Say When Your Homeschool Child Wants to Attend School

Every family’s wording will be different, but you might say:

“Thank you for telling me how you feel. I want to understand what interests you about school and what you believe you are missing. Your feelings are important to me, and I am willing to make changes where changes are needed.

At the same time, deciding where and how you are educated is one of my responsibilities as your parent. We chose homeschooling for important reasons, and we are committed to it. Going to school is not the solution we will choose.

That does not mean I am ignoring what you need. If you need more friends, activities, independence, or challenge, we will work on those things together. I want your homeschool experience to prepare you for a meaningful life, and I want you to understand why we believe this education is worth protecting.”

This response accomplishes four things:

1. It acknowledges the child’s feelings.
2. It maintains parental authority.
3. It gives a clear answer.
4. It promises to address the underlying concern.

You Can Be Firm Without Becoming Fearful

Your child’s curiosity about school does not mean you have lost them.

They may simply be looking at the other side of the fence and imagining that the grass is greener there.

Do not allow fear, guilt, exhaustion, or persistent pressure to make the decision for you.

Listen. Ask questions. Revisit your reasons for homeschooling. Strengthen the areas that need improvement. Help your child form healthy friendships and pursue meaningful opportunities.

Then give your child a clear and hopeful vision:

Homeschooling is not a lesser substitute for school. It is an opportunity to provide a more personal, purposeful, and powerful education—one designed to prepare your child not merely to fit into the world, but to enter it with wisdom, confidence, character, and direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I let my child decide whether to homeschool or attend public school?

Children should have opportunities to express their concerns and participate in age-appropriate educational decisions. However, parents remain responsible for evaluating curriculum, environment, influences, safety, and long-term consequences. Listening to your child does not require giving them the final decision.

Why does my homeschool child suddenly want to go to school?

Common reasons include loneliness, curiosity, missing former friends, a desire for activities, romantic interests, boredom, frustration with the curriculum, or a desire for greater independence. Ask specific questions before assuming the request is primarily academic.

What should I do when my homeschool child feels left out?

Acknowledge the feeling rather than dismissing it. Then create intentional opportunities for friendship, activities, celebrations, clubs, field trips, and shared experiences. Your child may need a stronger homeschool community rather than a complete change in educational setting.

Should I let my child try school for one semester?

Before presenting school as a temporary experiment, consider whether doing so will make it harder for your child to commit to homeschooling. If your family has strong reasons for homeschooling, it may be better to address the specific problem, such as loneliness, boredom, or a lack of structure—without making school the default option.

How can I help my teenager enjoy homeschooling?

Include your teenager in choosing electives, projects, goals, activities, and areas of responsibility. Provide meaningful social opportunities, live discussions, mentorship, work experience, volunteering, and increasing independence. Teenagers need purpose and preparation for adulthood, not merely more assignments.

Build a Homeschool Experience Worth Believing In

Blue Manor Academy helps Christian homeschool families provide a purposeful education through a literature-based curriculum, live classes, clubs, discussions, and subjects designed to prepare children for more than just tests and grades.

When children understand where their education is leading and have meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, form friendships, and pursue excellence—they are far less likely to believe they are missing out.

Your child does not need a school imitation. They need an education worthy of their future.

The post Homeschool Child Wants to Go to School? What to Do (Giveaway) first appeared on True Aim.

This simple question shows up constantly in our online homeschool community. New moms join our group or Blue Manor Academy and immediately wonder if their efforts measure up. When they ask, other moms rush in with reassurance, “Yes, you’re doing great. Yes, it’s enough.”

Although encouragement matters, so does honesty. The truth is, sometimes you are doing enough, sometimes you’re doing too much, and sometimes you’re not doing enough of the right things. This post explains all three.

Are You Doing Enough in Your Homeschool?

1. If “enough” means competing with public schools, rest easy.

I’ll tell you the comforting part about your homeschool first. If your goal is to do better than the public school system, then you’re already succeeding. Even doing nothing academically for a short season puts your child ahead in many ways because:

• Public schools teach distorted science and politicized history
• Abstract math that no one will use is emphasized, while essential math like budgeting, mortgages, and taxes are ignored
• They replace great literature with ideological “woke” texts
• Confuse students about basic biological reality
• Totally neglect wisdom, virtue, and character formation

You’re not missing out by avoiding that system. You’re protecting your children from it, and the data backs it up! Homeschoolers consistently outperform public school students across almost every measurable category.

So if your fear is, “Did I ruin my child by pulling them out?”, the answer is, absolutely not. You’ve rescued them.

2. The real danger for homeschool moms isn’t doing too little. It’s doing too much.

This is the part most parents don’t expect.

Although homeschool moms rarely under-educate their kids, they often overwater them. Just like a succulent doesn’t need daily soaking, your children don’t need every subject, every curriculum, every club, and every activity thrown at them in an attempt to “do enough.”

Here are the things many homeschool moms over-do:

• Teach every subject the public schools teach
• Add dozens of supplements “just in case”
• Sign up for too many clubs, sports, choirs, field trips, Scouts, co-ops, homesteading groups
• Try every spelling bee, Bible bowl, geography bee
• Join every church activity
• Try to win every competition

The result? Homeschools with exhausted moms, overwhelmed kids, and burnout for the entire family.

For example, one mom recently joined our group and said, “I’m exhausted.” When homeschooling becomes a burden instead of a blessing, something has gone wrong. This is not because the mission is too hard, but because the load is too heavy. Overwatering stunts growth. Overscheduling stunts learning.

Besides, kids who are constantly fed information lose the ability to process any of it. Just like a body that overeats becomes sluggish, sometimes you teach more by teaching less. Not less meaningfully, but with less noise so the meaningful things can take root.

If you need more clarity on this, make sure you check out the video below to learn more about whether you are doing enough in your homeschool!

Ask These Questions About Your Homeschool Instead

3. What does “doing enough” really mean?

Doing enough in your homeschool means focusing on the things that actually build greatness, not endless worksheets, busywork, or recreating public school at home.

Instead ask, “Is this feeding my child’s mind, body, and spirit or drowning them?”

Greatness requires:

• Sharp minds, not oversaturated ones
• Strong spirits, not stressed ones
• Disciplined bodies, not exhausted ones

Education is not about stuffing children with content! It’s about forming character, courage, clarity, and purpose. When you strip away the unnecessary, homeschooling becomes simple, peaceful, and powerful.

4. So…back to the question: Am I doing enough in my homeschool?

If “enough” means avoiding the public-school disaster? Yes, you’re doing more than enough.

If “enough” means checking every box and recreating a full schedule? You’re probably doing too much.

If “enough” means raising wise, disciplined, joyful, Christ-centered children prepared for greatness? That’s when the question changes.

It becomes:

• Am I focusing on the right things?
• Is this giving my children clarity or clutter?
• Will this help raise world-changers or overworked students?

Your children don’t need MORE, they need what is meaningful.

The Peaceful Way Forward in Your Homeschool

Once you remove the pressure to imitate public schools, and let go of the fear that “more = better,” you can finally build the kind of home education God designed for families!

Focused.
Purposeful.
Joyful.
Rooted in character, discipline, wisdom, and truth.

Finally, you don’t need to prove anything to the world. You just need to steward the children God gave you with confidence, clarity, and calm. That is more than enough.

Share this homeschool post!

The post Are You Doing Enough as a Homeschool Parent? Ask These Questions Instead first appeared on True Aim.

Make sure you check out the giveaway at the bottom of this page!

Create a Catered Education

One benefit of homeschooling is the ability to create a catered education for our children. Parents of traditionally schooled kids can do the same! Many public and private schools have upped the ability for students as young as middle school to participate in classes and workshops catered to a specific trade.

Majority of colleges today offer dual programs for students to enroll in college courses to get a head start on their higher education journey. These programs are great ways for children to get their feet wet in the field of their choice, with ample time to make any necessary changes.

There are also opportunities within communities offered by small (and large) businesses for students to do things like volunteer or complete an internship. Most homeschooling families are already aware of these opportunities, but this is something parents who don’t can learn from homeschoolers because it is available to all children.

Creative Ways to Learn

If there’s one thing most homeschooling families can do, it’s find creative ways to learn. I commend traditional school teachers who try to take learning outside the box, but the learning doesn’t have to stop there. Parents can carry on creative learning at home – especially when it comes to completing homework or important assignments.

Finding creative ways to help children learn will not only take the mundane out of the process, but also allow their creative juices to flow as well. Parents can learn a thing or two about their child’s learning styles when they invite them to brainstorm creative ways to making learning fun outside the traditional school setting.

What Parents Can Learn from Homeschoolers about Socialization!

Yep, that word – socialize. What most people don’t realize is that homeschooled children are just as, if not more, socialized as traditional school children. How can this be? For starters, we have many opportunities for socialization from play/park dates, field trips, CO-OP groups, and more.

Taking socialization beyond the school setting (and even sports) can open a world of possibilities for children. Incorporating weekend field trips and library-in-the-evening days are just a few unique ways to socialize beyond the classroom.

Build a Tight Family Dynamic

With traditionally schooled children spending the majority of their time around everyone but their family’s, it may seem hard to build a tight family dynamic. This is another one of those areas that seem to be a given for homeschooling families, but again – this isn’t always the case.

Some homeschooling families experience a parent being gone majority of the time due to work. Others may encounter issues with single-parenting homes. Regardless, building a tight family dynamic takes work. Being able to spend a lot more time with our children has its rewards, yes. But, we also have to be mindful and conscious in making the most of that time.

What can public school parents learn from homeschoolers? Finding unique ways to spend time together with no distractions is the start of building that strong family dynamic. Having open conversations and times to simply relax are just a few more ways.

Enjoy the Journey

Regardless if you are a homeschooling parent or a parent of children who attend a public/private school… enjoy the journey. Some homeschooling moms would admit that educating their children at home was the last thing they thought about doing.

Some may even admit that they are not particularly happy with homeschooling at the moment. And surely the same things can be said by parents who would love to homeschool their children. In the end, it’s all about enjoying the journey and embracing the process.

I’m not saying that homeschooling moms have it all together. Nor am I saying that there aren’t things to learn from parents with traditionally schooled parents. I just want to raise awareness that we can all learn a thing or two from one another, and that’s worth noting.

CHIME IN: What are some things you’ve learned from a homeschooling mom? Let me know in the comments below!

Back to Homeschool Giveaway!

A new homeschool year will be upon us in no time! Have you started planning and prepping yet? Preparing for a new homeschool year is an exciting time, but it can also create feelings of overwhelm and stress! Many homeschoolers live on one income and have to stick to a strict budget that doesn’t always allow for much wiggle room.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with a group of amazing homeschool bloggers to make getting ready for your new school year just a little bit easier and hopefully a little less stressful for you. Our hope is that we can bless a few homeschool families (although we wish we could bless many more) and ease a little of that financial burden and help you check some extra things off your homeschool wish list this year.

Three people will win a $250 gift card to either Rainbow Resource Center or Christianbook.com – two great places to shop for homeschool curriculum and resources, with the best prices around!!

To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  Now I know this is quite a few entries, but each of these bloggers has generously chipped in their own money to make this giveaway possible, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries.  And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are of winning! Giveaway ends July 21, 2023 at 11:59pm ET. 

Must be at least 18 years of age.  Must be a resident of U.S. or Canada to enter.  Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers (see the Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter form). a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post 5 Things Public School Parents Can Learn From Homeschoolers (GIVEAWAY) first appeared on True Aim.

I see a lot of parents who want to homeschool their kids stricken by unsubstantiated fears about the time, energy, and money. They are overthinking the whole process; recreating school at home in their mind. There are only 4 easy steps to take, so let’s go!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information read my full disclosure.

How to Homeschool in 4 Easy Steps

The first step to homeschooling is like that saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” (Lao-Tzu) Deciding you are going to go against the majority and educate at home is a big decision; the most difficult hill to get over in this process. Once you decide you are going to do it, defining your “why” is the most important thing you can do!

Step 1: Your “Why”

Why do you want to homeschool? Answer that question correctly and it will drive you through any obstacle you face. We homeschool because we think that is what God has commanded us to do. You might choose something totally different. There are so many reasons to choose from, but it has to be something that really sets the home apart from school in your mind and beliefs. If you need some help discovering the differences between home and school, check out our book Revealing School to discover what happens to kids in public school.

Step 2: Laws

Following the rules isn’t fun, but where our children are concerned, you can never be too careful. Check out our homeschooling state by state article to find more information about the laws in your state or visit the HSLDA. Some of the most unregulated states are Idaho, Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma, and Connecticut.  The most regulated are New York, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. 

Step 3: Curriculum or No Curriculum

This is the fun part! Time to choose your curriculum or choose not to use a curriculum! You might think this is a difficult task, but it really isn’t. First, you’ll want to decide what you want your children to learn. If your children aren’t at an upper elementary grade level yet, the most important things are reading, writing and math! You can get an amazing start using Blue Manor’s digital preschool curriculum.

If they are in upper elementary, find what kind of requirements do children in your area have to know in order to pass a certain grade level. Gather that information and start circling or crossing off things that you think are important or aren’t important. Then find a curriculum or free resource that helps you teach those things.

Or maybe you would rather let your children lead the educational process? What kind of things interest them? Are they great at math & science? Do they like history or art? Take a more relaxed approach and give them access to materials and resources so they can learn what they want.

I bet most of what you learned in school you don’t remember do you? That should tell you a lot! Keep things simple and essential. Think about what you wish you would have learned. What would have really helped you as an adult? We think character development is paramount and it is almost non-existent in schools.

You really are your child’s first and best teacher! Be confident in your abilities as a parent because that is what makes you uniquely over-qualified. There really is no reason you can’t homeschool because of the amazing free resources and awesome communities. If you are consistent and faithful, you’ll see the rewards in time.

Need more help? Free Homeschool For Greatness workshop!

Find more resources below or join us on Facebook and post your question to our community!

More Teaching Tips!

Lesson Planning

Learning Styles Debunked

How Children Learn

How to Homeschool Preschool

5 Teaching Strategies that Change Everything

9 Tips for Teaching History

Building Vocabulary

Homeschooling through the Holidays

Make Learning Fun: One Trick to Get them to Learn Anything!

6 More Ways to Make Learning Fun

Top 10 Flash Card Games

How to Make your Own Homeschool Curriculum

Tips on Organizing

10 Bible Verses for your Homeschool

Best Books for Homeschools

The post How to Homeschool: Beginner’s Guide first appeared on True Aim.

Given the current circumstances, we can likely understand more than ever why it is important to prepare kids to be able to face challenges. Developing a growth mindset can help kids feel more confident, positive, and resilient. This piece discusses what a growth mindset is, how it can be beneficial, tips for helping kids develop a growth mindset, and printable resources to start encouraging a growth mindset.

What are the benefits of a growth mindset?

A growth mindset can help kids fall in love with learning and feel more motivated to continue on their educational path. Additionally, a growth mindset can help kids:

• Cope better with transitions
• Reduce stress
• Understand their emotions
• View challenges as opportunities
• Recognize their strengths
• Set goals and create action plans
• Develop independence
• Become more productive
• Think more positively
• Become more resilient
• Focus on the process instead of only the end goal

Tips for helping kids develop a growth mindset

There are a number of ways to help kids develop a growth mindset. Know that developing a growth mindset is an ongoing process, and it may be more challenging for some kids to grasp than others. Try to remain positive and encourage an open dialogue. Here are some additional tips for encouraging a growth mindset in kids:

• Set reasonable expectations
• Applaud effort
• Help them create and stick to a routine to promote productivity and independence
• Allow them to struggle and problem solve
• Encourage them to think creatively
• Help them identify and work through their emotions
• Set a strong, consistent example

3 printables to encourage a growth mindset

Making this process as interesting and enjoyable as possible is important. These printables from Tommy John can help your kids feel excited about working on developing a growth mindset. The following printables include an emotional grid exercise, goal setting worksheet, and growth mindset conversation cube. All three can be downloaded at the end of the post.

1. Emotion Grid Exercise

Use this printable to help your kids identify their emotions and understand how different situations make them feel. This exercise can enable them to express and moderate their feelings in a healthy, productive way.

2. Goal Setting Worksheet

Use this printable to help your kids create goals. Help them understand what they want to achieve and what steps they will need to take to accomplish their goal. Teaching kids that goals can be achieved consistently with hard work will help them continue to set and work toward goals in the future.

3. Growth Midset Conversation Cube

Use this printable to help your kids create a conversation cube. Each side has a question prompt that can spark a conversation. This exercise can teach kids to think critically and develop self-awareness. Helping kids gain a better understanding of themselves can help them make better decisions and grow.

Download all of these printable activities below to set your kids up for success by helping them develop a growth mindset.

The post Help Your Kids Develop a Growth Mindset first appeared on True Aim.

For the homeschooling family, these objectives are not always seen as necessary. Instead, most families opt-in for natural learning. So, the question now becomes – how important is it to teach the facts in your homeschool?

Below, you’ll find four tips for embracing natural learning and how they can have more of an impact and long-term positive effect (versus simply learning the facts).

What is natural learning?

In a nutshell, the natural learning approach can be seen through a Charlotte Mason lens. Charlotte Mason’s approach is one that is rooted in observing children, then taking what is shown and filtering it through what is taught. This approach allows you to help your child develop a love of learning while teaching important skills and concepts.

Observe your children.

Observation is one of the key ways to find out what your child already knows and areas they may be lacking in. Often times, parents overlook this vital step in their child’s education because of the to-do list of facts that need to be learned per some website.

The key here is to set the pre-made learning objectives aside and focus on your child’s current skills and abilities. From this observation, you can then do the next tip.

Create your own objectives.

Once you’ve observed your child and noted several things about their skills and abilities, you can now turn those into practical learning objectives that fit your child. This may seem hard to do, but in essence, it is quite easy.

There are many ways and resources to provide your child with learning experiences that foster the objectives you have set up for them. For example, if your child is learning how to write, you could try providing them with copy work. If they don’t seem interested, consider incorporating a subject they enjoy (like dinosaurs or superheroes).

The key to this tip is to not get caught up in a pre-made list of objectives and feeling comfortable in creating your own based on your child’s unique needs.

Consider combining to build a connection.

This is something else that usually feels weird to homeschooling parents. At first, you probably believe that each subject needs to be taught separately with their own lesson plan and time of day to be completed. While this works for some… for most, they find it harder to build connections between what is being taught.

This can have a negative impact on the way a child is taught to process information; thus, making it difficult for them to understand the point in what they are learning. Unit studies are a great way to use one topic to teach across multiple subjects, all while homeschooling multiples ages/grades as well. These also offer the child to have a say in what they’d like to learn – another win!

Recognize the whole child.

The natural approach to learning takes education from learning nothing but facts to recognizing that the whole child is a part of the process. Focusing on more than just the facts opens the doors to nurturing the physical, emotional, and social side of learning.

Instead of focusing on simply learning how to read, embrace what is being read, and expand on it. Perhaps it could be a story that helps with a social skill like being kind to others or dealing with bullies. This takes learning to another level.

Learning facts definitely has its place in the world of education; however, the long-term effects aren’t nearly as good as if a child is able to naturally learn. What is taught and learned naturally seem to have a bigger impact in a child’s life, leading them to remember more and actually apply it in real life.

CHIME IN: What are some ways you incorporate natural learning and learning facts in your homeschool? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How Important Is It to Teach the Facts in Your Homeschool first appeared on True Aim.

Something to keep in mind is that learning takes place in many environments. There are many ways to enhance their desire and ability to learn. Keep reading for 4 ways to motivate your children to learn.

4 Ways to Motivate Your Children to Learn

Focus on Your Child’s Interests

Interest-led learning is taking the lead in being one of the most used homeschooling methods today. Why? Simply put, parents are beginning to see their children flourish when they are learning about things that interest them.

When your child is able to help choose what they want to learn, not only does it give them a voice, but it also sparks their motivation to learn. Parents are also finding it easy to use their child’s interest to study a wide variety of subjects, topics, and concepts.

If you can motivate your child because of their love for dinosaurs, you may just be surprised at how you can use that topic for reading, language arts, science, geography, and history! That’s several subjects crossed using one topic, all while keeping your child motivated and engaged in the process.

Focus On Your Child’s Strengths

It’s so easy to point out the bad, and work incredibly hard to strengthen that area. However, what if you focused more on what they are doing right? Same as adults, it adds to their motivation tank. You may think that ignoring their weaknesses won’t help, but it most certainly can.

In some cases, a child’s weaknesses are gradually worked on through their strengths. Intertwined in this is also acknowledging and celebrating their achievements. This not only motivates them to continue working hard, but also builds their academic and emotional development.

There are times when weaknesses need to be worked on; however, they don’t have to become the center of their education. Finding that balance is key.

Make Learning Fun

There are a number of ways to make learning fun. From using platforms like YouTube and Netflix to games and toys – learning doesn’t always have to come from a textbook. This also goes hand-in-hand with keeping your child’s interests in mind.

Perhaps your child is the outdoorsy type. Use that to his/her advantage. Have them do activities outside. Take nature walks. Or even let them choose. If they like video games, consider using them for certain subjects. The possibilities are endless. If your child is more creative, here are some good tips to inspire creativity in your children.

Try Different Learning Styles

While there are different types of learning styles, rarely will you find a child who learns one certain way. Some children learn best doing something one way for awhile, then switch as they get older. Your child may also show different learning styles for different subjects.

For example, your child may like to use notebooking for Science and Geography, and worksheets for Language Arts. I recommend going with that instead of trying to force one method all across the board.

Overall, motivating your child to learn can look many ways. The idea is to get them to love learning without it feeling like a huge mundane task. The earlier they can understand the purpose of learning, the better.

Our best advice is to not limit your child to one set way of learning. Give them a voice by listening to what interests them. And when all else seems to fail, go where your child’s needs lead.

CHIME IN: What are some ways you motive your children to learn? Share with us in the comments below. Your response could give someone else ideas!

The post 4 Ways to Motivate Your Children to Learn first appeared on True Aim.

I believe the question is valid, but there is also another side to that question to consider – Are grades actually helping your child’s education?  

What is the purpose of grades?

The purpose of grades carries quite a few characteristics. For starters, they can serve as a type of progress report. In public/private school settings, they are a way to literally track a child’s progress. Grades are also a form of communication, letting parents know about the progress their child is making.

Grades are also used as a measuring tool. They are an attempt to show how much a child has learned about a particular subject and/or concept. While the purpose of grades doesn’t seem so bad, there are also downsides to them.

For some children, grades can trigger anxiety and feelings of needing to measure up. They can also create a lack of motivation in children who feel like all they’re doing is learning “for the grade.” With these purposes (good and bad) in mind, let’s look at three questions to consider when asking yourself if grades are actually helping your child’s education. 

Is having a grade system required by law?

Without a doubt, it is vital for homeschooling parents to know what is required by their state. In some states, it is not necessary to turn in any type of proof of homeschooling, grading, progress reports, and the like. In other states, it may be absolutely necessary to meet such standards.

If you live in a state that requires some form of grading system, my advice is to create a progress report or grade card and fill it out to the best of your ability. In some cases, it may help to keep a few pieces of work with grades written on them to help with record-keeping.

What is my child’s personality type?

Legalities aside, having an understanding of your child’s personality type can help determine if a grading system is helping or hindering them. Homeschool On has a great personality test for kids that you can use to get an idea of their “color type.”

Once you have an idea of your child’s personality type, you can then plug in ways to hold them accountable for their work completed (or not). For the rule-following, people-pleasing child, he or she may thrive with seeing a physical grade written on their paper.

For the outgoing, impatient child, they may thrive better with a more relaxed or eclectic way of tracking their progress. Sara from Heart and Soul Homeschooling talks a little more about delight-directed schooling on the blog. 

Are there other ways to evaluate my child’s work?

Yes. There are many different ways to evaluate your child’s work. One of the biggest go-to ways for the do-it-yourself homeschooling parent is to create your own scale or rubric. Simply identify mile markers or milestones that your child needs to reach.

Some parents also go the pass/do-over (better than saying “fail”) route. Pass means they can move on to the next concept, while do-over means that a little more time will be spent on a subject matter. For the younger homeschooled child, you can get really creative. Stickers, stamps, and keepsake work portfolios are ideas for highlighting work well done.

There are also specific things you can look for when evaluating your child:

• attitude
• interest
• comprehension
• consistency

For the older homeschooled child, it will most likely be necessary to have a transcript of some sort, especially if they plan to pursue higher education.

Other Concerns About Grades

Grades can sometimes backfire on homeschooling parents, leading one to believe that something is wrong with their “teaching” when their child isn’t doing well. Whether you decide to give formal grades or not, find comfort in these tips:

• Every day is a chance to foster the love of learning in your child.
• You have the ability to provide amazing feedback and help your child individually.
• You can train your children to give their best effort in all they do.
• Remember that your child is not a failure.
• Each child is unique and so will their educational journey be.

In conclusion, grades do not have to be a bad thing. What matters most is if they are actually helping your child’s education, or hindering it.

CHIME IN: Do you give grades in your homeschool? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Are Grades Actually Helping Your Child’s Education? first appeared on True Aim.

Most of the time once we’ve moved on from a particular chapter or page, we wouldn’t dare even think about going back to it to see what we’ve missed. When we don’t look backwards in books, we miss key details. Therefore, we’re only getting a piece of the entire puzzle of the material that we’ve previously read.

Summer Reading Strategy: Read Those Missed Pages For More Information

Homeschooling 7 children is definitely no easy task. We do a lot of group reading and have many oral discussions. Since so much time is spent on those particular areas, we tend to skip some things in our reading at the moment that we don’t deem to be useful or helpful to our discussion or assignment.

Once the summer time rolls around, I often think of reading material that I feel my kids would enjoy in those 2 months that we lighten our school load. Summer reading is a great way for them to keep their knowledge of vocabulary and comprehension skills sharp.

One day a light bulb went off for me as I pondered a summer reading list for them. Why not just have them use the same books for the summer that we used during reading class? Nothing extra to buy and nothing extra to assign that they weren’t already familiar with. Perfect idea. For example, in history we’d covered the Middle Ages in 2 chapters in our book. I didn’t find it to be relevant at the time to cover the list of wars or the endless list of names of people listed that went over and beyond the few people we’d already covered.

The perfect time to read and learn the list would be the summer months. They could also flip back and read the chapter we skipped about a lot of wars in the past. We’d covered almost 10 in class, but hey, learning more during the summer wouldn’t hurt at all.

In science we had skimmed our chapters on oceans because we’d studied them in the past. Well, I had them to go back and read about the various underwater volcanoes and formation of islands because we didn’t cover that part in class. Since the children were already familiar with a bit of oceanography, them going back to read the missed information was pertinent to completing their mental picture about oceans. There were a lot of interesting facts that they came to me with and discussed once they went back to read the pages independently.

In our literature class, we’d studied a few poets from the southern part of the US. The children were delighted to flip through their poetry books and read about the few poets that we didn’t cover. That led to them looking into their biographies of those famous writers. My kids even took it upon themselves to go and find books that we didn’t complete a few years ago and chose their own pages to read over. It was amazing how much initiative that they took to read without my input.

LEARN NEW DETAILS IN SUMMER READING

I couldn’t believe all of the little facts and details that we missed in our plight of trying to get school done and touch on all the basic skills. It’s a simple process. I told my kids to “Go find the books that we used in class and find the skipped chapters.” From that little instruction, they became totally independent readers in those moments that it was too hot to play outside. They were reading books that I had forgotten all about. It’s worked wonders for us and keeps the kids constantly learning new facts and new words.

We now do oral reviews after they’ve read something new and their recall is amazing. They see me involved but in a way they’re choosing what to learn. We use summer reading to serve 2 purposes; Read for information and read to complete the lessons from before. I will never change the way we do summer reading at our house now. It’s perfect for our family.

Can you think of a way to utilize those skipped reading sections in your child’s summer reading? I’d love to read your replies in the comment section. Thanks so much for reading this!

Tal Hoover is the founder of Blessed Grove Homeschooling and Academy. She is a professional educator, curriculum writer and homeschooling mother of 7 children. Her spare time is spent creating and publishing educational resources and operating her small baking business. She has over 14 years of home education under her belt, and nearly a decade of experience in tutoring, online education, and writing. Tal specializes in teaching Biblical and world history, multicultural studies, comparative religions, art history, and of course, professional artisan cookie decorating. She has a bachelor’s degree in Leadership and also holds multiple certificates. Mission work, mentoring and empowering not only her own family, but others is her top priority. She loves connecting with those that are seeking to educate their own children and become entrepreneurs to promote self-sufficiency.

blessedgrovehomeschooling.com
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The post Unique Summer Reading Strategy for Homeschoolers! first appeared on True Aim.

Before I share the top 3, I want to make sure you check out the giveaway at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to sign up for my FREE class on how to get started homeschooling here.

So what makes homeschoolers tick? Why are we so dedicated that we would give up a quiet home for over 6 hrs each day where we could eat ice cream and chips in peace and have the house clean for more than a few minutes?

Top 3 Reasons People Homeschool

You might have heard these before, but you won’t guess the order! It will make you think twice about your homeschooling doubts!

#3 – Faith/Worldview

Many people name faith as a main reason for educating their kids at home. This isn’t just religious instruction, this is the formation of a worldview.

It doesn’t matter if you believe in God or not, you have a worldview that shapes all your decisions, right and wrong. Homeschoolers believe that most schools should not be teaching these things to children or are doing a horrible job of this no matter what kind of character curriculum they adopt.

#2 – Academics

Most homeschoolers believe that schools are doing a poor job at teaching the basics as well as not giving children the life skills they need to lead healthy lives outside of academia. Statistic seem to prove their point with 63% of 4th graders reading below grade level.

#1 – TOP REASON PEOPLE HOMESCHOOL!

Did you guess correctly? The top reason people homeschool is that they feel the social environment is harmful and unsafe for their children. That’s interesting isn’t it?! This is one of the most common objections to homeschooling!

How will a child socialize if they don’t have access to children their own age? For homeschool parents, being in the same small room with more than 15 children of the same age with little adult supervision is no way to teach healthy social skills.

What is your reason for homeschooling?

Back to homeschool giveaway!

Another (home) school year is upon us! Some of you may have already started your year, or some of you might school all year long, or some of you might be making those final curriculum decisions before your new year starts.  Whatever boat you are in, I’m sure you could use a little extra money for homeschool curriculum or resources.  Am I right?

I’ve gotten together with some fellow homeschool bloggers and we are pooling our money together to bless two homeschool families with a gift card to spend on their homeschools.  How does $250 sound in helping you buy curriculum, books, games, puzzles, or whatever educational supplies you might need?  Two people will win a $250 gift card to Timberdoodle!!

We know homeschooling can put financial strain on families – whether it’s from living on one-income or buying curriculum for multiple children – the financial aspect of it can be stressful.  Our hope is that we can bless a couple of homeschool families (although we wish we could bless many more) so they can buy the curriculum and supplies they need.

To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  Now I know that is quite a few entries for you, but each of these bloggers generously chipped in their own money to bring you this giveaway, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries.  And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are of winning!

Giveaway ends Aug. 15, 2018 at 11:59pm ET.  Must be at least 18 years of age.  Must be a resident of U.S. or Canada to enter.  Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers.  Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions upon entering the giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post (Giveaway) Top 3 Reasons People Homeschool first appeared on True Aim.