This is exactly the video I needed for years. Thank you.

Alabama here too. My high schooler wants to go to Auburn for the veterinary program

4:18 Yep. I have never heard this statement and it is absolutely true. Not worried at all about what you're doing. Cheerleading you and your fantastic job with your kids, and not worrying at all about what it is because I'm just trying to do a good job over here in my own house. Weeding my own garden, if you know what I'm saying.

So glad to hear the Mr D recommendation! My 6th grader is starting the getting ready for pre algebra after only having done RightStart his whole life.

Thank you so much for this! I've been homeschooling my young children (6 and 8) for a couple years now but now I'm planning on taking in a niece who needs some help catching up in high school (16!). I want to make sure I do right by her and this will really help me get some good habits going all around. Support like yours has really made this journey a lot less intimidating. Currently I just keep a notebook (some weeks better than others) and the little's programs track grades for me as well, but I want to start an excel sheet to make sure I track things more closely for niece.

I’m starting to think I’m a bit more type A than I thought. Lol!

Would you care to expand on why you’re seeing more and more parents not having the time to research and plan as we did in the beginning? You repeated, “Parents don’t have the time…” several times and I’m curious what reasons you’re seeing for this.

What about a child who wants to be his own boss and own his own KZbin channel through high school? What would that count towards?

What if my two and a half year old doesn’t nap? 😂😭😭😭🙃🥸 I have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader this upcoming year. All girls, both school aged ones have adhd (as well as me) Any advice? ❤

Thank you for this! You definitely described me, especially the perfectionism and not being encouraged by “it’ll work out!” Not that I’m so organized, but I really try so hard, and it sometimes feels like others seem to put less effort in and get better results. I really have to not compare…

This is exactly what I need! My husband tries to be so encouraging, but it’s always the don’t worry everything is fine type. Now I can explain what I really need! A lot of the time I need someone to listen while I talk through problem areas and brainstorm possible solutions. Hearing everything is fine just feels invalidating.

YES, 100% YES!! Thank you for this video. I've never heard this from anyone, but its definitely been me for all these years of homeschooling my kids. I've never fit in with any homeschool friends around me. Definitely not a perfectionist, though...but in other ways this fits me. Thank you for shedding light on this. ❤

Thank you, Pam! This is me and exactly what I need to hear. I too tried listening to the "don't worry" videos out there and my homeschool suffered. I'm so happy I found you❤

So glad to see there are others like myself in this homeschool world ❤ I’m being very intentional and when people say to relax it’s not helpful at all. I actually love doing this.

Oh this is perfect! Totally- I have a list for everything that gets done in my home! And I want to be told I am doing a good job. I dont need the "you are doing enough" line, I know I am lol. I love that you perfectly identified mamas like me.

I feel like homeschooling is one of my hobbies, I love doing it and learning how to homeschool more efficiently and thoroughly for each of my kids while catering to their particular learning styles. I love that you're addressing those of us who do like to homeschool this way.

I totally understand at what you’re getting at and I think it’s great. I have to point out though that the homeschool moms who might struggle with perfect routines and checking off the list are also intentional moms. I would like to think most parents who care about their child’s education enough to put it on their own hands, are being intentional even through the struggles and weaknesses they have.

This is so me! I have a checklist for homeschool and for the chores. When we know what we need to do, it helps so much with what is expected and our flow is so much better.

Thank you so much for all your tips and sharing what you’ve found most helpful! Is there a way to use a different link for the supplemental material for the Lively Art of Writing? The link in the description doesn’t work because I don’t have access to that forum. Thank you again!

I'm surprised that you endorse 1 1/2 of education for a 7 year old. This is against the law in many states (when we started, our state required 900 hours a year - which is a lot more than 1.5 hours/day) . Having homeschooled for a long time now, I cannot imagine getting "everything" done in that little time. We have never had a year with fewer than 900 hours - most years, we've gone substantially over.

Yes… Pam’s “Autopilot” course is fabulous and a bargain because you can use it every year! This is my 3rd year with it and it’s been life-changing! I call it “Planning with Pam” 🥰 It is a wonderful way to organize your own homeschool, your way. Pam does an outstanding job coaching without telling us *exactly* what to do. She just walks you through the steps and you do it how you like it. You can also skip a step as needed and come back to it later. It’s very flexible and do-able.

I am so excited to see Citizenship Together!

I love that - homeschooling methods are just a tool, what works best for your family has to come first, and don’t let the methods other families are using become a way to look down on others (or feel bad about yourself)

Lmao why am I watching this, I’m Non-Christian, against unschooling, person with no kids. Why did KZbin recommend this. Good video tho, your video has great quality and is very professional

Thanks Pam! Going on our 6th year of homeschooling and love all you pour into homeschooling, without adding stress to my mess! We got side tracked into a certain popular homeschool philosophy that my kids ended up not liking at all, so circling back to their interests and doing less lesson planning myself. Refocusing on our vision and our why was very helpful. Truly appreciate all you do.

Thank you for this video. I have been feeling overwhelmed lately with all the different homeschool methods lately. Your perspective is refreshing!

My biggest frustration with the homeschool community I see is this desire to duplicate government schools via co-ops. It’s really sad that so many cannot get away from the brainwashing that has convinced them that learning is only done in a “school” way. Also no you do not want government funds, that will just come with strings attached. It’s not school “lite” it’s home education and there is and should be a big difference.

I refer to our homeschooling as eclectic schooling🙂

3 years.. that’s good news for me!! Going on our 4th year and these last 3 have been very rough trying to fight against schoolish mindset and CM in the wrong way.

Lord , give me the grace to homeschool my teen son, that his dad approves it snd undertands its the best choice . Please .

Spot on! I’m a college professor in NYC who also homeschools and I’ve met so many working parents who are homeschooling! Thanks for this video

I was public schooled my whole life so I was shocked to find there were so many philosophies and then I was shocked to find how many have a sort of culture to them. Also people who can be very judgemental about what curriculumor philosophy you lean towards. I specifically don't say what curriculum or philosophy I like or use until I feel comfortable with someone.

Wow. Insightful. I definitely saw a few of these come up in the community this week.

These observations are SO insightful. Our co-op and local homeschool group has changed so much over the years, and I keep trying to nail down why. I think this potpourri of changes in the overall homeschool culture are exactly what is going on, and speaks well to what folks are looking for these days. Thank you for articulating this so thoughtfully & clearly.

I am one of the newer homeschoolers. After my son had to be home we realized how much he was just being pushed through. He has special needs and was in an "exceptional children's" class in public school since pre K. He is extremely smart but due to his sensory needs and being selectively mute was being placed in a classroom with children of all different types of abilities. Subsequent to the pandemic and him being sent different "packets" and meeting with his teacher online we realized he was being taught at a kindergarten level when he was technically in 4th grade. That just completely blew my mind! Still does! They were teaching a very intelligent and capable 4th grader kindergarten lessons because of the type of class he was in! I know that some of those children were at that level but some obviously were not including my son. Now of course i dont think he was always being taught at such a lower grade level as in the beginning of his public school career we did have some veey amazing teachers. However we had always noticed he was not being given work that really met his intelligence level especially the higher the grade level. Anyway short story long, I have found it difficult even after 4 years of homeschooling to step away from the scheduling and planning as if he were still in public school. Any more tips on how lean into a more organic style of homeschooling?

Overwhelmed Olivia but also best intentions Becky and I try to be a little strategic sally, but Olivia peeps her head out 😂😂

We just finished our official first year homeschooling. We had a rocky start with the passing of my mother in law but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we got just the essentials done. I mean one hour and we were done with “school work”.

I am definitely a combo of Best Intentions Becky (because I love seeing and buying and dreaming of using all the pretty curriculum) and Overwhelmed Olivia because I can't keep up, barely keeping my head above water, and have to cut out half of what I planned.

I am one of the covid homeschoolers and I can report that the purists are alive and well and will scold you if you step one toe out of the CM method. (I love CM by the way, but my kid needs spelling help and I might not have 12 years to homeschool and hope that my child learns to spell just from dictation... You get the idea.) I'm just one data point, but I over-research curriculum to the point that borders on time-wasting because I want to see it ALL 😬 I also view curriculum programs as just the "spine" to which I can add or subtract anything I want.

Right now, we're using just a notebook and writing down each day the assignments. I need to start tracking books read, piano lessons and recitals, his Greek lessons and pottery facilitated by others. Your videos are SO helpful. I've been feeling pretty lost and overwhelmed. Money is not in abundance so thrifty homeschooling is a necessity.

I was JUST telling my friend that I wanted to step away from all the philosophies because they were a burden on my mind and start focusing on which curriculum I really want that crosses my t's and dots my i's. I was so split between Classical and Charlotte Mason, which each contain wonderful practices, but have a lot of purists pulling a tired mom one way or the other stating that they are the best. I lean on the fact that I was educated with PACES and other traditional textbooks and my success was more about our attitude toward learning and our focus on Godly habits then it was on the method.

We just completed our 5th year. Started the July of 2019. When I started I just wanted an open and go type curriculum to make sure we "covered everything". I researched curriculum. I never research the different methodologies. Over the years we have changed things. I put together our own courses for a few subjects. It feels pretty rewarding. My oldest is a 10th grader now. For instance my daughter loves everything equine. So I have created a thorough Equine Science course that she will take each year of high school. I love the flexibility we have and that my children are learning so much better at home!

Pam, thank you so much for this! I don't know if you know that I'm homeschooling again - my new husband's 2 youngest. I searched "how to enforce schedule homeschooling high school", and your video (and face) was the FIRST to pop up. Just the encouragement I needed, thank you so much!

Argh the music is sooo annoying and loud!

Thanks

My word, my name is Becky! 😮

I would agree with that 3-year assessment. Give or take a bit depending on one's situation. We are just finishing up year 5 and though anxiety occasionally hits, our systems are flowing and the kids are doing well. BUT there were some real mistakes those first few years. Yikes! Some things, like you said, just take time to learn.

I’m all of those mums 😅

Thank you for this conversation! Awesome! I first "met" Ashley in 2017 when she was instilling so much wisdom with Jennifer Dow on a podcast series that I cannot find anymore 🙁. Are you familiar with it Pam? I would love to re-visit the talks as they were my "coming through the wardrobe" moment.

I am mostly an overwhelmed Olivia!! I am undiagnosed, but sure, myslef (and at least one of my children) have adhd. I love plans... but i can never seem to stick to them for more than a week - it's awful and discouraging. I constantly feel like a failure and i don't want to pass that on to my kids... but that's what I sometimes and I'm so sad about that! I crave structure but have SO little implementation power. HELP!