Homeschooling Explodes in the Wake of COVID-19; Here's How to Keep Moving Forward

In the wake of COVID-19, parents choosing to shift from temporary pandemic-schooling to traditional homeschooling has exploded over the past 18 months, currently boasting a whopping 5 million students!  Whether this shift will continue and parents will choose to homeschool for the long term remains to be seen.  However, parents are engaged in their children's education now more than ever.  And that is a good thing!

As with most homeschoolers, these new home educators started homeschooling for one reason but will continue to homeschool to achieve other priorities.  Whether you are new to homeschooling as a result of the pandemic or are a seasoned homeschooler, remind yourself at the beginning of this new school year why you continue to do what you do.  Draw from this personalized list for inspiration throughout the year and know that, while we often overestimate what we can do in a day, we also tend to underestimate what can be accomplished in a year.  So consider these thoughts as you adapt to this year year of parent-led and child-engaged priorities!

• Take stock by thinking about how your child(ren) has/have changed in the last year.  What goals did you have for them last year and how have they progressed towards them?  Look at not just their academic progress but also their spiritual, mental, and emotional health.
• Observe how you communicate with your child(ren) now.  What improvements have been realized?  What areas are sources of conflict and strife?  How can you approach old tensions in a new way so you can all realize better results? Take time to honestly and calmly discuss behavior, academic, etc. improvement goals in a time of non-conflict.  Gain mutual agreement on the goal and a pattern to check in with each other regularly.
• What successes has/have your child(ren) experienced?  Take time to celebrate with them and articulate specifically what you admire about their progress.  Model and support how siblings can celebrate each other in this way to avoid counterproductive comparisons and jealousies. 
• Encourage your child(ren) to dream and engage in a variety of life experiences, helping older students to make connections to areas that may point to their future development and vocational interests. Avoid intensive specialization decisions too soon for your child(ren), which can lead to resentment and a sense of "missing out" on other opportunities.  For example, while music lessons and sports are valuable experiences, show flexibility and encourage variety.

If you are looking for additional support on mentoring your young students or your teenager in these and other areas, check out one or both of my programs: The Balanced Homeschooler or The Balanced High Schooler programs.
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For additional information on the current movement towards traditional homeschooling, read American Homeschooling Goes Boom, by Suzy Weiss.