What’s the Problem with Homeschool Trends and Hacks?
Homeschool trends and hacks. Thanks to the modern marvels of social media, we can’t avoid being bombarded with them. If you are a new homeschooler, they could make you feel discouraged and defeated before you’ve really begun.
We all want to be the best homeschool parents we can be. When starting out, the amount of options and information is completely overwhelming. I know this not just from my own experience, but from the overwhelmed and scared posts popping up constantly on social media groups. Homeschool bloggers, podcasters and book sellers share all their tips and tricks, and are the main drivers of trends. It’s helpful to hear how their families do things. You can get some excellent information. The thing is though, you are not them, your kids are not their kids, and your lifestyle and personality may not be the same as theirs.
We have to find what works for our own unique family. We have to find our own rhythm over time. We need to evaluate trends and hacks against the reality of our own family circumstances, and accept, adjust, or even completely discard things that every other trendy, superhero homeschool parent does. I have a few examples to highlight my point.
Start Your Day Before the Kids Wake Up
When I was first researching how to set up my homeschool day like a pro, everything I read seemed to talk about waking up before your kids. Why? So you can get everything organized, have a quiet time, and feel ready to face the day. It is a great idea. It sounds way better than starting the day feeling like you’re behind before you’ve even begun. I was keen. Alarm clock set for 6am every weekday. Morning Bible study of Ephesians all ready to go. Second alarm to get dressed at 6:30. How did that go, you might wonder?
Well, my youngest daughter just woke up earlier when she heard me rattling around downstairs. She loves morning snuggles before the alarm starts beeping, and I think she was a bit annoyed I had taken away morning hugs. I definitely see why so many people recommend this hack. However, by the third day it was falling apart for me. I persevered for a while and did my quiet time in my daughter’s prescence. Mid-way through the second week or so, I came to my senses and reset my alarm back to its usual time. Why?
There was no way I was setting that alarm earlier than 6am, because then I would be exhausted by mid-afternoon. Also, there was a temptation to resent my kid for ruining this awesome mum hack that every well-organised homeschool mum does. Our kids are only going to be kids for the shortest time. I’ll take the morning snuggles while I can. I’ll put up with the slightly hectic start to the day rather than persist with something that wears me out, and doesn’t gel with the needs and rhythm of the unique people in my very own, unique family.
The Morning Basket Trend
Another well-loved trend is the morning basket trend. If you haven’t come across it yet, it involves preparing a basket of lovely things to start your school day with. Activities that you don’t usually get to in your day, like art or poetry. I was tempted. I was. It looks beautiful, and it seems like such a fun, low-key way to start the day. My head started racing with everything I could put in it. Then I looked again at all the pictures of homeschool mums with their gorgeous morning baskets, in their instaworthy houses, and almost had a little chuckle to myself.
The need to quickly evaluate homeschool trends against the reality of my own personality, abilities and kids’ needs was sinking in. I realized 3 points and completely eliminated this trend from my thoughts.
Point 1 – I can barely manage to get all of us ready, make sure our lessons are in order, and get a load of washing on by 8:30. I am not a highly skilled housewife, at all. I’m working on improving, and I’m okay with that. The last thing I need is another morning job, or worse, one that needed preparing in the evening when I knew I was already going to be a wreck.
Point 2 – We already have so many lessons and activities going on each day. We don’t need anything extra. You will be constantly tempted to add in one more trendy tip, activity, habit. I strongly suggest knowing your limits.
Point 3 – My eldest daughter is completely happy with her start to the day already. She’ll do one of two things after breakfast. She may try to fly through as much maths or English as she can before morning devotion, if she’s feeling energetic. Or, she might read a book in her pjs for half an hour, and then rush through the house like a maniac trying to get ready for start time. She, especially, didn’t need me adding some fancy basket setup to her morning, and ruining what she already likes to do in that space.
Organisational Hacks, and More, and More, and More Organisational Hacks
We hear constantly how important organization is as a home educator, and it is. Again though, I am no house keeping superhero. You will find endless homeschool organisational hacks. Some are helpful and easy to implement. On the other hand, some podcasts and blogs threaten to make me feel completely inadequate as a housewife. I still can’t comprehend how some super mums are able to operate with such calmness and efficiency. One amazing mum I’ve listened to, food preps her meals and snacks for the week, on the weekend. For a family of eight! Others are able to keep a spotless home, cook amazing food, educate their kids, and have a business. My brain cannot compute. Maybe you’re one of the super mums, which is genuinely wonderful! If you join me in struggling in this area, it’s okay. No need to wear yourself out trying to follow all the hacks you can learn about, and becoming frustrated with yourself. Find what works for your family. What is the level of chaos you can all cope with before it’s too much. Work around that, not what that podcaster or blogger has going on.
The social media trends and hacks about everything homeschool, won’t stop rolling in to your e-mail and social media feeds. We are not going to become the best homeschool parents in our own unique families, by pressuring ourselves into copying and pasting what other perfect looking homeschoolers do with their days. Your family needs the best you you can be with the Lord’s help, not the you burning yourself out trying to do all the things that “good” homeschool mums should be doing. It’s totally okay to forget about the homeschool trends and hacks that every other homeschool parent seems to be doing. Indeed, it’s critical.
