Homeschool Encouragement Series: Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of our Homeschool Encouragement Series! For our 3rd guest, we’ll be hearing from Emily from The Curious Schoolhouse as she tells us about her homeschooling struggles and how she overcame them!

Hi Homeschool Friends!

Meet Emily

Emily is a second-generation homeschooling mama of 5 wonderful children, ages 11 and under. She and her husband and kids live in southeastern Wisconsin where they enjoy hiking together, searching for the best coffee shops, and reading fabulous books together as a family. She believes that homeschool doesn’t have to be complicated and that stories will save the world. www.thecuriousschoolhouse.com

Homeschool Encouragment

My homeschool used to be complicated. I’d order a huge pile of curriculum and materials, plan out a detailed schedule for each day, and then barely finish half of it. After struggling to find time for millions of subjects with (what feels like) millions of kids, I have become convinced of the following: that less is more, that what children need most is stories and play, and that great books will take us a very long way.

I have become convinced of the following: that less is more
Emily from The Curious Schoolhouse

Our homeschool has now evolved into what I call a “minimalist” homeschool: we do Morning Time all together with a rich variety of literature, then each child does a bit of phonics work or copywork, throw in some math time, and call it a day. Amazingly, miraculously, I have found that this is enough! We go for walks, we cook together, and we play games. The children have time to play, their minds are being fed, and – perhaps most importantly – I am happier and more relaxed.

Surprisingly, this is what Charlotte Mason recommended over 100 years ago in her educational philosophy, and her wisdom holds true still today. Whether you are brand-new to homeschooling or have several years under your belt already, I’d encourage you to simplify as much as possible in order to have a more peaceful and joyful experience. Your children won’t remember every workbook they complete, but they will remember if their mom was stressed and anxious every day! Combine your children together for as many subjects as you can, and use tools like narration or copywork that give a huge bang for their buck. Don’t be afraid to say NO to other opportunities and work hard to protect your family time at home. And, when in doubt, sit down and read a book together.

Homeschool doesn’t have to be complicated; education doesn’t have to be boring.
Emily from The Curious Schoolhouse

Homeschool doesn’t have to be complicated; education doesn’t have to be boring. Our children came into this world with fully-formed personalities, keen intelligence, and boundless curiosity; our job is simply to give them a feast of interesting ideas in order to keep their wonder alive. If we can do this, however imperfectly, our homeschool will thrive and our children will too.