[Tea] What homeschooling can FEEL like

Welcome to "Tea with Julie," a weekly missive by me, Julie Bogart. My wish is to give you food for thought over a cup of tea to enhance your life as an educator, parent, and awesome adult. Glad you're here. Pinkies up!
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Cincinnati, July 13, 2024

Hi Friend,

Homeschooling is not just a set of skills we hone—planning, teaching, evaluating. Part of what attracts people to home education is what homeschooling can FEEL like—that hope for learning experiences that are:

connected,
collaborative,
and carefree.

I'm here to tell you it's possible! Sometimes it takes a little work to get over your memories of school or your anxiety that you might be failing your kids. But the truth is: the more you lean into your relationship with yourself, your kids, and the subject for study, the easier it gets!

We've rounded up some of my favorite blog posts on this topic. As you prepare for the coming school year, take some time to read them so that you plan not only the curriculum, but also your attitude and family culture to support all those good ideas you have!

Connected

The top priority in homeschooling is your relationship to your kids! The more they feel they can trust you to bring good things into their lives, the more you can teach them.

If you've got kids who "hate" school or who resist your plans, circle back and ask yourself how much of what you do with your kids is oriented to their happiness. What can you do to tie math or grammar to experiences they value? That's the chief task of homeschooling and it's the hardest one.

Here are some resources to help you think about the importance of that relationship.

Collaborative

Homeschooling is co-created by you and your kids. Together, you set sail for the land of learning!

The goal isn't obedience or even cooperation. It's collaboration—both parties have meaningful ideas and needs, both have a desire to achieve goals and experience joy and love.

As you find your way, don't just plan the day "off stage." Get your kids involved in sharing their ideas too!

Carefree

Can you lead a life where homeschooling is "carefree"? That seems like a pipe dream for most of us! Yet what I discovered as the years wore on is that my need for reassurance that I was doing it "right" diminished as I became more and more aware of my children's progress.

The blog posts below may help you let go of some of that anxiety you carry.

Thanks for joining me each week for another Tea with Julie. If you're looking for more hands-on support, you've got one more day to sign up for the Brave Writer Training Program with Dawn Smith and me. I would love to see you there! We send out our first email on July 15 and the program kicks off in August!

No matter what, enjoy your time off! You deserve it.

Warmly,

P.S. Catch up on all the “Tea with Julie” emails here!