ABCs of HomeschoolingAnything you do with kids, you can pretty much guarantee one thing: Kids are UNPREDICTABLE.

And because of that, homeschooling our kids can often be a little unpredictable, too. Maybe YOU think that your kid will a hate subject but then he loves it, or maybe you thought he’d like using flashcards but found out he hates them. Maybe one day your daughter loves to write but the next day she’d rather not. You just never know! (Or maybe it’s not your kids, maybe it’s the new homeschooling method/fad/tip that you think will be great for your family but doesn’t fit well in the end.)

I’ve already said that flexibility is a big factor for my homeschooling style, and this is one reason why. You don’t know until you try something if it will be a good fit or be well received. And if it isn’t, I am all for regrouping and tackling from a different direction.

I was not prepared when my second daughter rejected learning to read after the experience of teaching her avid reader older sister. I was caught off guard when she threw a fit over handwriting because it wasn’t as good as her sister’s. I didn’t see it coming when their younger brother (who had carried a notebook like Steve from Blues Clues and doodled circles and pretended to write since he was two years old) simply had no interest in sitting down to learn to read and write. Hey, we know our kids pretty well, but we can’t see EVERYTHING coming!

But surprises aren’t ALL bad! My second daughter surprised me with her interest in math, my son boggles my mind consistently with the scientific questions he asked, and my oldest has an interest in and the patience for learning to sew (more than I have ever had.)

You never know what your kids will do, say, love or hate. It’s these unpredictable things that keep life (and home school) interesting, challenging and even educational.

Knowing that life is unpredictable, kids are unpredictable, there will be sick days and good days and bad days.. keeping that in mind helps me stay prepared for adapting and flexing with the flow of life.

The ABC’s of Homeschooling is hosted by Dawn @ 5 Kids and a Dog. You can see all of my previous ABC posts here:

BEFORE YOU RUN OFF — Don’t forget to enter to win a free ticket to any one of the Apologia Live homeschool retreats! It’s a christian women’s retreat and conference for homeschool moms. You should try to win a ticket to go!

 

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Amber

Hey, y’all! I’m Amber and I wear many hats. I drink a ton of coffee and I’m constantly sweeping crumbs off the floor. After 20+ years of homeschooling, we are starting over at preschool with our fourth, Lil Miss Mouse. She keeps us young and she’s the main reason for my excessive coffee consumption. Drink up!