September and Beyond

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”–Martin Luther King, Jr.

Welcome back, homeschooling parents!

September is an exciting month—a clean slate with a fresh “New Year” feeling of anticipation! As you consider the above quote, imagine you are at the bottom of a magnificent staircase that you are about to climb. Perhaps you have friends who have been climbing for longer than you. They, too, were once on the first step. Now imagine the staircase is your homeschooling year. You can’t see your destination, but you know you want to climb. The truth is everyone, old and new, even though excited to begin homeschooling this September, might also be a little nervous! That’s perfectly normal, of course. After all, the whole staircase can’t be entirely seen. . .

September Prep

Most of you have likely chosen your curriculum and stocked up on supplies for various subjects and projects. You may have your homeschool area organized and ready. Your lesson plans may be prepared for that first week of school. And maybe you’ve asked your children for a list of items they are looking forward to learning this school year. Perhaps you’re ready to launch into this first month of a brand-new school year!

When homeschooling my son and other kids, I carefully reviewed my purchased curriculum. I wanted to feel confident using it, and I thought I might need to tweak it a little to make it fit my homeschooling goals.

I also wrote a list of reasons why I had decided to homeschool in the first place. I posted my list on the bulletin board so I could read it often. In my case, I mainly homeschooled because I wanted to create an education to fit my son’s unique academic needs. Posting my reasons helped me get through those hectic and chaotic days when I questioned myself!

During that first week of school in September, I almost always asked the kids why they liked homeschooling. It was fun to jot down each comment and review them at the end of the school year.

In September, I made sure to schedule experiential learning days that fit our curriculum. I tried to plan something fun and exciting, especially for September but also for upcoming months. Those field trips created great memories and enhanced our curriculum.

Once I felt ready for that first week of school, I took a little time to savor that back-to-school excitement and energy with the kids. I liked to “ease in” to school that first week or two. We’d start early and end early. Then, I’d plan something fun for the kids, whether a fun cooking project, playing an outdoor game, or taking a nature walk.

What If?

But wait! Let’s get back to that feeling of anxiety some of us feel when homeschooling. Even though we feel called to homeschool and are prepared, we might experience a little anxiety—you know, that uneasy feeling we all get when we “future trip.”  Future tripping is when we start kicking around the dreaded “What ifs.”  

These are a few of the “What ifs I have experienced…

• What if the kids need to be more socialized?

• What if we look different from other people?

• What if he doesn’t progress in some areas by the end of the school year?

• What if I don’t do a good job giving equal attention?

• What if I don’t adequately prepare the kids for college, a technical program, or the workforce?

The “what-ifs” that tend to cause anxiety are nothing more than a fear of failure both for us as parents and for our children. It’s the same feeling as taking that first step when you can’t see the whole staircase. But I can assure you that if God has called you to homeschooling, he will see you through to completion!

Who doesn’t worry about at least some of the what-ifs I have dealt with? I bet you even have a few of your own! But the good news is that God tells us not to be anxious. Of course, for first-year homeschoolers, seasoned homeschoolers, and anyone in between, making mistakes is something everyone tries to avoid. We all know, though, that through our mistakes, we learn to adjust and learn what DOES work. Sometimes, mistakes are the best teachers! The Bible tells us, “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of you tomorrow, too. Live one day at a time”(The Living Bible, Matthew 6:34).

Perhaps, then, the question for us to consider is this: How can homeschooling parents deal with homeschooling anxiety? One solution is to commit to relying on the Lord. Perhaps we should dedicate this 2024-2025 school year to Him. He promises, ^“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (King James Version, Romans 8:28). God has our every need, fear, and doubt completely covered.

This September, as we take another step on The Grand Staircase of Answering the Call to Homeschool, let’s remember what Max Lucado said: “God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” I could add that the view at the top would be well worth it. If we take a few minutes to survey seasoned homeschooling parents, we might discover that most would tell us that the benefits of homeschooling were so rewarding they wish they could start all over again!

As I navigated my journey up the homeschooling staircase, I initiated a few ideas to highlight my commitment to developing a Christian homeschool. Of course, as you have likely done, I put the obvious in place. I used Christian curriculum. Not for every subject, but what fit my budget. We read inspiring books aloud; my kids read biographies of Christian missionaries, etc. But I added a few extra things, too. I searched for several Bible verses I thought would resonate in our homeschool for the school year. The kids and I read and talked about them, and they chose one that would be our theme verse for the school year. The younger kids drew pictures of the verse. The older ones wrote about what the verse meant to them. We recited our theme verse before each school day, and then we prayed together. If we dedicated our day to the Lord, He would direct us. He would help me personally as I walked up the staircase, and He would help my kids stay focused, motivated, and committed throughout the days and weeks of not only September but the entire school year.

Staying on Track

Planning a Christian homeschool doesn’t mean every lesson needs to revolve around a Bible lesson. But whenever possible, I tried to offer examples of good morals and values. As the year progressed, I noticed that the kids’ Christian foundation began solidifying. And that’s what we all want, right? Also, I felt that if their morals and values improved, so would their commitment to trying their best academically, and they would be kinder and more considerate to others.

One thing we all enjoyed year after year was having a morning meeting after we prayed. It was an excellent time for the kids to discuss their personal goals for the day and share their accomplishments. Something about them stating their goals aloud and sharing in each other’s victories helped them stay on track. Of course, we had to discuss goals ahead of time, define them, and brainstorm how to decide on personal goals. As is usually the case, the younger kids learned from the older ones.

To further encourage a Christ-centered homeschool, I placed a fishbowl on the table filled with instructions written on strips of folded paper for the kids to draw from. These are some of the comments I used:

• Be kind today
• I will work for the Lord today
• I will not complain about too much work
• I will try my best for today

 I would toss a few fun ones in, too:

• Half an hour of extra free time indoors or outdoors
• Make chocolate chip cookies with Mom
• Enjoy phone time with a friend
• Invite a friend over for movie night

 I would also add some “service” requests:

• Help serve lunch
• Help tidy the homeschool room at the end of the day
• Feed and water the animals
• Do one kind thing for someone today

Of course, you can tailor-make these for your individual homeschool!

Relationship Building

In my homeschool, I finally learned not to despair if it took all of September to find the sweet spot that worked for our homeschool schedule. I learned to work through a little chaos to get to a routine that worked well for everyone. I found my kids couldn’t learn well when there was a lot of chaos, so I tried to find the right balance between home and school life.  One thing I continue to appreciate about homeschooling is the ability to be flexible and to relax. Looking to the Lord to fine-tune our schedule is key. Eventually, the scheduling that works best will surface.

September is relationship-building time. As we climb the homeschooling staircase with our children, we have the privilege of building lasting family bonds. We form deeper connections with our children, a gift that will last a lifetime. Author Elizabeth George once stated, “No matter what you do each day…or in life…doing things God’s way is a matter of the heart.” We could all agree that homeschooling is, most definitely, a matter of the heart.

It’s nice to know we are heading up the Grand Staircase of Homeschooling together this 2024-2025 school year! Allow God to guide you, and it won’t matter at all if you can’t see the whole staircase. 

God bless your homeschooling year! Patty Huey