5 Things I DON'T Do In Our Homeschool (It May Shock You)

Today, I'm sharing 5 things many homeschoolers do that I DON'T do in our homeschool, and some of them may surprise you!
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Hi friends! I'm Erin. I'm a homeschooling mom to 4 kids and we're in our 8th year of this homeschool lifestyle. I love to share videos with tips about things we've learned along the way that have helped me out, as well as curriculum reviews and some heartfelt homeschool inspiration. I hope you leave here feeling encouraged that YOU CAN DO THIS!
Thanks for checking out my channel!
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[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thanks for watching! Did any of these surprise you, or do you homeschool similarly?

[@myluvs2931]

This is great! I’ve been feeling kinda like a failure doing some of these lol. What math program do you use on the iPads? I’ve used ctchmath and liked it. Thanks again. ❤

[@stephenboyd7450]

So similar in these areas! I think the fact that our kids are so self directed is the hardest thing to explain to non-homeschoolers about how it is possible to homeschool 4 kids. Ours are 9th, 7th, 6th and 1st and I am very hands off for the big three. really it’s just our family read aloud and prayer and working with my youngest that are my biggest time investments. Thanks for your videos! ❤ -Amy

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

@@myluvs2931 We use Teaching Textbooks. 😄

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

@@stephenboyd7450 Yes! Most people don’t understand how I could teach all my kids. I’m like, I don’t! Haha. They learn on their own! 🎯

[@thebaptisthomeschooler]

I attempt to keep a planner but I’m not a planner person at all. I was really surprised hearing you don’t actively teach any of the subjects. Maybe it’s because I’m a natural teacher but I cannot imagine not doing the majority of the teaching in my homeschool.

[@alyssaayala7224]

We don't set an alarm in the morning! 🙂🤷‍♀️ I love the fact that we can sleep in and still get school done at a reasonale time. I do not miss waking up cranky tired kids and rushing to get out the door- especially a cold winter morning!

[@alyssaayala7224]

I also love how each kid has their own binder with their work. Makes record keeping that much easier for us mama's!

[@cbuis8303]

We "slept in"/ wake up at own time, for 3 years, and now that we have a bit of a morning routine our entire day works better, have more time together and evryone is nicer. I found that my kids are more keen to work when they wake up early. When they sleep in they're always just a little difficult to get going. But that's us. And home schoolers tend to adapt al the time.

[@kreiner1]

And I love not getting dressed, pj days were a regular thing

[@karenfalla6810]

Im glad KZbin recommended your video. I’ve been homeschooling for 2 years and in thee back of my mind I would always have y house thought of am I doing things right. Now that I’ve seen your video it gives me a piece of mind that every family homeschools in a way that works for them. Thank you for your videos!

[@chelseabarker2250]

Yes this! Especially in winter when it's dark for 16 hours a day. I'm like clearly God wants us sleeping more right now 😏

[@valeriecolvin6977]

I'm an older momma to 13. We started homeschooling in 1986. We quickly learned all you talked about(and more). It's an exciting learning journey for everyone, including you! We're down to our last cold in school as we had a graduation last week. I'm in withdrawal! The Lord has a sense of humor as my last daughter will graduate when I turn 65!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Aww! I love that! Thank you for sharing!! ❤️ Blessings for your next stage of life!

[@jenniferclarke3622]

You have been homeschooling over a span of 37 years. I guess you've got the hang of it now. 😂

[@auntpurl5325]

The goal is to learn they can teach themselves anything. When my homeschooled son (3rd-12th, using classical Christian curricula) got to chemistry in college, the professor left at the beginning of the term. The new professor used the previous professor's brand new and untested curriculum, but in class, he taught using his own course materials. No one had any idea what to expect or study because nothing lined up with labs, quizzes, or tests. It was a nightmare. So my son pulled together a small study group and they basically taught themselves everything they needed to learn -- lots of googling and outside reading. I have never been so proud nor so sure that we made the right decision to homeschool. My son never depended on a professor after that. College is behind him now, yet he is still busy figuring out how to do anything he wants. He is a field forester working with private land owners in conservation, but he is constantly acquiring new hobbies and skills in his free time. Homeschooling offers the blessings of independence, curiosity, and confidence.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Love that so much!! Thanks for sharing!

[@mommylikesme6363]

Lady, our homeschooling lives are very similar. I am a veteran homeschooler (20 years) and still going! Homeschooling is a lifestyle....not a traditional school!! Our children have thrived in this lifestyle. Praise God!

[@vikilittle526]

I was a public school teacher before I homeschooled my own kids. The first year was mainly spent trying to unlearn many of the habits I had gotten into while teaching a herd of kids. I lot of the purpose of those habits was crowd control. I agree that students should learn how to learn. I am back in the classroom after a 20-year break. My sixth and seventh graders need their hands held. Many don't listen to the group instruction anyway and want to be retaught just to them. I am working on getting them to be more independent in their learning, but I still have to manage the herd :) Thanks for doing what is best for your own family. In the long run, it will be best for the rest us as well.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thank you for sharing your insight! I’ve heard the same from many former teachers turned homeschoolers! Blessings to you as you work to shape the next generation, I have so much respect for teachers these days. You have such a challenging job!

[@diannaannette6956]

The benefit I see from using binders is teaching kids to be self-directed and manage their time, which is how high-school and beyond works. I'm looking forward to see if you make a video specifically for your binder system

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Totally agree! I’m planning a video about them soon!

[@Kaurageously]

Me too. I would love to see this!

[@JessicaOrban3606]

Yes! I like the idea of them also seeing how much work they have left as they get through it.

[@laureeso99]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler I would love to see a video on how you create the binder schedule system for your kiddos. and how they use it.

[@kateelou]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler can you post a link to this video?

[@fireflyasmr3536]

This is exactly how I homeschool, I don’t do any these 5 things either!!!! So refreshing to hear another homeschooling momma runs her homeschool the same way ❤

[@maryherouvis361]

Agreed!🙌🏾

[@michellemarquez2440]

Same here! All of it!

[@jcav7]

Same here! Except, we use notebooks to plan the day, not binders (that didn’t work for us).

[@maryherouvis361]

I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear this. 2nd year of homeschooling, and I was already not doing any of these things this year and was feeling guilty about it. Now it feels like a ton of weight lifted! This video just made me a new subscriber 👍🏽Thank you!

[@doggoneit8341]

Same here! I haven’t looked at my planner in months! I just go in order in the curriculum. Sticking to schedule is impossible for our family…

[@11nica5]

I love hearing about moms who have the confidence and are unapologetic about doing things THEIR WAY! I hope to get to a place where I can just “guide” vs having to hover over but mine are in 1st & 2nd grade so…baby steps

[@kristiLB93]

I hear ya on the science experiments! Last year was the first time I didn't use a planner (6 years into homeschooling). What changed my mind was a conversation I had with a seasoned homeschool Mom of 12 who said she never used a planner. She only ever printed out a list of what they needed to accomplish for the year. I related with all of these points. Much of what you said is what happened organically in our house. Thanks for posting!!! I can't wait to explore more of your videos!!

[@katiewashburn1405]

Yes! Would love to see your binders for your kids and how you make them. Love your videos!!🥰

[@angelicguidance444]

This is similar to how I homeschool my son. I’ve been homeschooling since he was in 3rd grade and now he’s in 8th. I don’t follow a strict schedule, and have it just flow a bit more. We don’t do the same subjects every day. I also let my son decide which subjects he’d like to focus on. I don’t do a lot of science experiments. I take my son out on many “field trips” too, learning geography in nature rather than in a book is incomparable. In the beginning I also had a planner and had the same situation come about. Haha your so like me! Love it! Keep up the good work mom!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Love it! ❤️ Thanks for sharing!

[@anonymous1984y]

None of these are things seasoned homeschoolers do. Keep up the good work! I love videos like this that help show reality ☺️

[@scaj76]

What's considered seasoned because I've never done any of them from the beginning?

[@773elim]

I liked the last point you made about being a facilitator for the learning of our children. That is perfect!

[@thehomesmith]

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t enjoy science experiments and rarely does them. Haha

[@karlamonterrosa9564]

You are so my people. I don’t do any of those things either, except you’ve embraced it and I am still struggling to feel successful because I don’t do all that stuff. Thanks for the encouragement! ❤️

[@frogleymom]

Last year, I would have agreed with EVERYTHING you have said. This is our 13th year of homeschooling, and for some reason, we were led to some changes this year. I still don't do regular science experiments, and I still don't use a planner, but we definitely have a homeschool room (with desks!), we stick to a fairly rigid schedule, and I started actually giving lectures (and doing read alouds and also watching educational videos and such still).

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Love the freedom we have to change things as we go and find what works best for our families! ❤️

[@YeshuaKingMessiah]

There comes a time this is needed For some career paths or study choices especially

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

@@YeshuaKingMessiah Agreed. If the parent is following their child’s interests, and a child shows an interest in science, they would know that their child would be likely to want to pursue a path such as that and then provide resources to ensure they would be successful in that. Following your child’s interests is not a lack of education, rather it’s allowing them to follow their natural interests and gifting (where they are most likely to be successful), thus providing an education that would benefit their future career, whatever that may be.

[@renegaderanch1752]

Hey!!! What you said about not being your kids teacher surprised me, but then after hearing you explain I completely agree! That was one of the things we wanted to emphasize was teaching our children how to learn, rather than just teaching information. Especially in this day and age when the information on any subject can be endless, I think its good for them to be able to figure out what they are passionate about, and then know how to research that and come to a deeper knowledge and understanding on it. :D Great video!

[@ericaparsons8354]

Thank you for sharing! This makes me feel so muchbetter about my decision to be more hands off. My children are still young and need some instruction, but my goal is for them to be independent learners. ❤️ This was so helpful!

[@ElizabethMeeks-cr7ov]

I felt so free when you talked about reverse planning it was a game changer. I have a child with special needs and some days we just don’t get to everything done. I have an idea what needs to be done but if it doesn’t all get done, we pick it up the next day. It totally keeps me from getting overwhelmed and frustrated that things aren’t getting done. Thank you!!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Sooo happy to hear that!! ❤️🙌🏼

[@emmareads734]

Thanks for the tips and encouragement!

[@emiliehammerquist6372]

"There is value & beauty in finding what works best for your family." Yes!

[@leahesposito1952]

This is so me!! Thank you for sharing!

[@singgirl82]

Aww! Love seeing your Christmas decor! And we have matching dogs! 😉😆 Thanks for this video-I appreciate hearing that reminder that every homeschool family is going to look a little different!

[@karlyw.b.4125]

I don’t use a planner and it is so freeing! We use a daily checklist and just notate or check off what we have done with a date and day of the school year.

[@crystalroe5535]

Love this! As a new homeschooling mom, there is so much pressure. This is very helpful!

[@beckabuff1]

Love all this. I just started this year with my kids! I can relate to all this so much! Thank you!

[@minjoohong1350]

Thank you so much! Liberating!!

[@krystacrouse8198]

I love all of this! Learning alongside (i.e. not “teaching”) my kids has been one of the greatest joys of motherhood! 🙌🏼

[@cowsonzambonis6]

Your homeschool looks and sounds a lot like ours, and it's such a great space in our lives! YES to learning to learn/love of learning!! And I love seeing your kids with their pets during school- what a cozy way to spend the day and take in new information. Best of luck in the future!

[@melanne7901]

Thank you for this, I will be starting homeschool with my son this fall. I'm starting this late in his education journey. He has been attending a parochial school, which only goes through 8th grade, starting 9th grade he would be switching schools, which doesn't really concern me. But I don't like the curriculum that is forced on our children in public schools, and all the private and other parochial schools in my area are just too expensive. I have been researching as much as possible so I can homeschool my son the best way possible. Knowing that there isn't one right method has taken a huge load off my mind. Thank you so much.

[@kimberlytaylor612]

I love your posts, honest and helpful!

[@tiasherrill6920]

I don't do science experiments either. So messy, and I rarely feel like it adds anything more than just telling a kid the result. But I do love planning out the next day and keeping records (it satisfies me so much to check off completing tasks). We also keep to a schedule - as in, the order we do subjects each day. I find it keeps the whining down when they know they have to do math before they can have the fun of art. Maybe when they are older and more disciplined, but a kindergarten and 2nd grader just won't do the things they dislike in a timely manner without structure right now.

[@bakerbrewz]

I love seeing all kinds of styles and flows with home education. This video was super useful and insightful. And practical too- the daily supplies cart is a fantastic idea! Thank you for sharing openly and honestly what home education doesn't include for you and your family. Every family and child and parent is unique and different and not feeling pressured to be a mom that does it all in a home school setting is a breath of fresh air. I think my home education style will be similar to yours with lots of flow!

[@felishamuileboom7744]

Thank you for sharing! I love your videos! You were actually the very first homeschooling mom I ever watched on KZbin and I have learned a lot from your videos ❤ I have a 2 year old boy and plan on homeschooling him when he is at that age. It's nice to know that there is no one right way to homeschool and I love the idea of more charolette mason style you guys are going with. It seems to make the most sense and brings out the joy in learning. I know that there are going to be so many people in my circle that will disagree with me homeschooling and I think it's going to be hard for me becasue I tend to care alot about how people see me. I grew up going to Catholic school in Canada and I don't remember having the love of learning. I think it is so amazing that you guys focus on your relationships with each other as a family and also give them the tools they need to be learning on their own. Such a great skill! Love your content ❤ hope you and your beautiful family have a great Christmas and new year! From Ontario Canada 🇨🇦 ♥️

[@greeneileen]

Amen on skipping science experiments. My husband's degree is in Chemistry and even he mostly can't be bothered! We use a microscope from time to time and made the quintessential volcano but the rest I leave to the science museum and streaming videos. I love your confidence. Thanks for sharing.

[@deannabraaten2188]

great video! thank you, this helps me to take the pressure off of myself!!!

[@MARI-jy8xu]

Thank you for posting this video! This is our second-year homeschooling. This video boosted my confidence! :) I do most of the things you mentioned.

[@medusafire4124]

I'm with you on the science projects lol. All experiments are pretty much recorded on KZbin so you can observe that way. Not saying we don't do any projects physically but for the most part it's a lot easier to watch 😉

[@Cori761]

Omgosh I just watched this and had to subscribe because I loved everything you said! So encouraging and made me feel so much better about what we're doing (and not doing)! Thanks!

[@FamilyStyleLearning]

This is why you're my favorite. Constantly reinforcing what I believe. Thanks Erin!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Aww, thanks, Abby! ❤️

[@Bronnydance]

I love watching your channel...we are in sync...and I often watch your videos and find that you are working through many of the same homeschool challenges that we are (we have similar aged kids!). I literally have the exact same routine/daily schedule, put together binders for my kids this year and do lots of Charlotte mason but heavy on history because we love it! Looking forward to seeing your binder video - so many gems, I always learn something! Thank you for sharing your journey....it's a blessing!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

So fun! Sounds like we are very similar! Total history nerds over here! 😆 It’s my fault, I’ve always been obsessed with history and it’s rubbed off on my kids!

[@kimsuejohnson4016]

I am right there with you on all of these 😊

[@yuliroberts]

Wow!!! This is amazing!!! I don't like to do many of the things you mentioned and listening to you gave me some relief!!!

[@krystacrouse8198]

Yessssss, girl! I was a classroom teacher for a dozen years before kids and I used a planner pretty much obsessively. Now as a homeschool mom I do very rough sketch of what we might do each month for the year, and we use an open-and-go math and reading curriculum, but that’s it! 😱😂

[@singgirl82]

Okay, one more comment! 😅I love that about the “not being a teacher”. It’s something I have had to adjust to coming from public school myself, and after reading quite a bit of Charlotte Mason, I realize that trying to decide what they “should” take away is kind of pointless and crazy-making for all of us! 😆

[@Homeschool.in.Paradise]

Yes!! We also definitely don’t follow a traditional school schedule!! I love homeschooling to have the freedom of planning however works for us!

[@lenafreeze7131]

The planner! Agreed!!! It never happens like it’s planned anyway and reverse planner seemed pointless! 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@damarisreinosa5804]

The binder schedule blew mi kind and I Love it! Thanks for sharing your ideas. I”ll be homeschooling my kids next year so I think I’ll be implementing the binder.

[@Libra10guti]

😂 That was me for the longest time! I suck at finishing planners I do good for a couple of months and just cannot get myself to continue, it’s time consuming and stresses me out. I would buy the stickers and pretty pens and nothing worked lol. It’s definitely not for everybody, it’s so liberating to realize you really don’t need it to homeschool. ❤ Thanks for video, Nice to hear I’m not the only one 🥰

[@nancyjex1214]

Thanks for making this video! I do things much the same in homeschooling 5 kids. Getting out of the regular school mindset can be so tricky when you are first starting out. I love that I am Mentoring and not teaching my kiddos. ❤

[@MJ-xs2hk]

I loved hearing these! As we have gone along, I have implemented many of these, especially more books/reading!!! It's how mine love to learn best!

[@janieedwards1070]

This has been our first year homeschooling and I LOVE and appreciate your insights. We've decided to go with the Simply Charlotte Mason Curriculum largely because of Sonya Schaffer's KZbin Videos I feel we're super helpful walking us through the Charlotte Mason method. I have a 7, 4 and 1 year old so not having a strict schedule has definitely been on our side although I do love your loose approach to one and have been looking for something of that style! Definitely trying to find a way to balance the learning and help my 2nd grader become more independent with his studies so thank you so much for sharing!

[@itsmeterri]

Same here!! ✋️ Basically exactly the same. 🤗 I have a 12yr old and a 7yr old been homeschooling or in our case unschooling since the summer before covid hit and I'm gad I did because when all hell broke loose and parents were forced to have their children at home we were already in and it was easy to carry on as usual.

[@dianag6343]

You described our homeschool exactly!

[@thehabeshaherbalista]

I needed this so much! I’ve been feeling the same overwhelming feeling about the planner. I’m ditching it, that’s it! 😅

[@Firstgenamerican21]

We used to do science experiments at home when I was a kid. When I mixed all the things you shouldn’t just to watch what happens…my dad changed that to watch science on tv.

[@shandrykasheppard7929]

Thank so much for doing this video! I have littles, and I have already stressed myself out thinking that the way that we've been homeschooling isn't enough or correct. So it is a relief to know that I am not the only one who doesn't teach and have everything set up like a "normal" school setting.

[@BabyLove6290]

Great video! I love the binder idea and the “not teaching” resonated so much with me. We are at the very beginning of our homeschool journey and me teaching isn’t working for me or them!

[@singgirl82]

I just love planners! I’m kind of the same way where I don’t end up using them as much as I would like, but I adore beautiful planners too! 🎉

[@SuperQueenV.]

Amazing! I don't do all of these things too 😩 I'm not alone but my kiddos are learning so much just on their own 🥲 Great video!

[@Mishwelly]

I love your organization!!!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

I am definitely not a very organized person! That’s why I came up with this to try to help me stay on track!!

[@kathrynsoper247]

I love your openness to sharing your unique home school plan. I agree with you that the way you are teaching is best for the kids as well as for yourself. I started homeschooling two of my grandchildren this year and because I work two days a week we don’t do sit down homeschool on those days. I do give the girls some things that they should work on when they are with their aunt or my husband while I’m at work but if they don’t understand some thing we go over it When I’m home. Having a relaxed flexible schedule with the kids helps them to enjoy learning.

[@edramos975]

You are going outside of the box and making a fun environment for learning. I just loved it. I have two boys ( 5yrs old and a 2 yrs old), there is so many resources out there that im kind of lost. But your experience has helped me. Thank you

[@ourfamilyvideos7283]

We do a student planner that we created, subjects on left and days on top…junior can decide to do it all or each day….almost done, bittersweet

[@lylakittrell9162]

Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment on KZbin before, but I just have to leave one here. Thank you! I so relate to you. Especially not doing a planner. I am right there with you. This video is so very refreshing :)

[@lizlopez712]

Thank you for this.I love what you said about being a facilitator not a teacher.I needed this video.

[@mospinn4084]

You are my kind of homeschool mom, subscribed.

[@user-xk3sk2df1d]

This gives me hope as a prospective homeschooler. I’m still undecided, but this gives me hope. I’m organized chaos and love your eclectic style. So happy it works for your family!

[@emily-lifeonaranch7093]

We use tt for math too, makes it just so much easier on me. Happy homeschooling

[@heatherjohnson1569]

My dining room is our classroom. I also do not use a planner, but I buy one every year as well with the intention of using it, but I never do because we either need to spend more time on a subject than I planned for or a kid went through something faster than I planned for. So the planner becomes abandoned. I do science experiments because I actually love science, but it is not done daily or weekly. What is done weekly is they choose an animal they research it based on their age level and at the end of the week stand up and present their animal they chose. So they are getting biology in that way and experiments get sprinkled in where I can fit it in. Experiments do take so much more planning and supplies. It takes being way more intentional and isn't really always realistic to do on a daily basis. I love your binder idea. I may actually try that with my oldest child. She may actually like that. The idea she could get a weeks worth of work done when she wants is something she would be into. She would likely aim to get it done in the first day or two of the week so that she could do other things the rest of the week. It may open us up to more hands on things plus help her manage herself.

[@1sarahmichelle1]

This sounds exactly like our homeschool! I laughed about the science experiments-I’m glad I’m not the only one who rarely does them LOL. I also have four kids. Love your videos!

[@Melissa-jq2qn]

Your home is gorgeous!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thanks! 😄

[@izzy1318]

This is taking a huge stress off of my shoulders I too don’t do a lot of the things that you have mentioned. I have four kiddos form the ages of 11 years old through 10 months. I am overwhelmed, trying to keep up with each one’s curriculum. I’m trying to learn easier, better ways. Thank you for sharing how you teach your kids.❤

[@stephaniedougherty7845]

We have to keep records in our state so I use my planner to do that; I also have a section for me to reflect on each homeschool month and then look forward. I love doing that and it has been so good for my soul! Mine are “littler” than yours though quite full on - and the rest - we pretty much do the same as you!

[@Ergtt7491]

This really my take on homeschooling too. I'm really happy that I came across your channel.

[@dinahduke1982]

Really good video with great info. I am relieved and will use some of these ideas. Thank you for sharing!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Allyporter7]

I don’t use a planner either! I am always feeling guilty that we’re not doing enough and yet I feel convicted to do even less and really focus in on their strengths . Bless you.

[@joidavis5210]

You are such an encouragement and blessing to me Erin. ❤ I love your content. I've had to cut back and simplify so much in our school days. My boys were overwhelmed and we were all stressed out. Love how you guys watch a lot of science, that's a great way to do it!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Aww, thanks Joi! ❤ Glad you've found a more peaceful plan for your homeschool!

[@GardenMinistry.]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler I agree with Joi! Can you please do a video on your favorite science-video resources? Is there a channel, documentary series, or movies that you recommend that are your favorite to use with them? I don't know many except Discovery Channel but those are usually just the animals ones. Would be so helpful!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

@@GardenMinistry. Our absolute favorite is @ScienceMax here on KZbin! Such fun shows and the kids have learned a lot. DIY Sci on Prime Video is also good. Both are geared towards elementary but my middle school kids will still watch them too.

[@GardenMinistry.]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler ahh thank you so much! Love all your suggestions!❤️ ❤️

[@melowely]

This video was a breath of fresh air. Thanks for sharing!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@me.6917]

We don't use a planner, we don't regularly do projects that make a big mess (same as you-its not fun for me but if THEY are able to do it on their own and it doesn't make a massive mess then it's all good), we are very relaxed and another thing we don't school every day!! Some may see this as a negative but we school all year. We still school through the summer and all the traditional school breaks but we don't overload and we do traditional learning every couple days! It's works for us.

[@BengeFamily98]

This makes so much sense Erin. We've been homeschooling for 14 years now. We just have one in school now. The others are married, or in college. Our 12 year old has such a hard time with learning in a more traditional sense. I would love to know what you use for videos/books for science and history to get their little brains thinking and learning, and it not seem like a chore!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

We love the shows Science Max on KZbin and DIY Sci on Prime video! My kids love non-fiction and they really enjoy looking through any of the DK Publishing books about different time periods/wars/etc. They often learn more by looking through those kinds of books we check out from the library than they do from the books they have to read for their lessons!

[@amytaylor386]

Thank you for sharing. I am the same way with planners. Lately I have been ripping out my planner pages and putting them on the fridge. That way I can't miss them and my family can see what is happening too. We are doing an online school which is what works for us right now. But I love having my children at home.

[@maiziebryant8211]

These are very helpful tips! I used to attempt to teach some my siblings during the homeschool day and quickly realized I am not the 'source' of all knowledge in any area I tried to help them in😅 But I tried to be that only source because I believed that was the expectation. It's so relieving to know none of us has the ability to teach ALL things from within ourselves, so we don't have to pretend we do. We can be happy, encouraging, and supportive of them learning from other sources of information that suit their interests, and not take it as a massive personal failure that we can't be that for them. Thanks for sharing some realistic tips!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Yes!! Love that analysis!! ❤️

[@z.a.k.6556]

I likeee what I heard! 🤓👍 following and liking I’m a first year homeschooling parent.

[@mrs.rogersneighborhood]

Well, we’re Unschoolers, so I TOTALLY connect with what you’re saying…and I am a former Schoolteacher! Lol

[@TheConnleyClan]

We actually do most of these items too. Glad to know we aren't the only ones! We started unschooling 9 of our kids 1.5 years ago and have never done traditional homeschool, although we still do teach the basics for our littles. They have grown so much and it is definitely less pressure!

[@katie7748]

-We are doing more of an unschooling type approach this year since it's our first year and I can't get over the hump of picking and buying curricula and the fear picking something that doesn't work. I know we won't know til we try but ugh I can't seem to get over it. I have set goals for myself to get it taken care of before next school year starts but for now it's books, movies, docuseries, homemade worksheets, etc. -I LOVE organization so next year I will be using planners. Yes, I said planners with an S. One per kid and one for me. My kids crave structure as much or more than I do so I'm kind of excited for that haha. -Speaking of structure, we don't have a school room but I wish we did and so do my kids. It's too distracting and feels too casual doing things on the couch (besides reading and watching TV) or the folding table we use for when we do map work or I have them fill out worksheets I've made. Plus, having every square inch of the living room walls (and behind the couch) lined with shelves of school stuff makes me feel claustrophobic. It's quite discouraging and it's getting to the point where some days I don't even want to be in that room. -Going back to curricula, one of the things I'm going to be looking for is something very open and go. I don't mind having to work with them on things but we all need to be told what to do. Things like Social Studies (history and geography), Art, Science, and Theology can all be done together but Math and any English or other languages need to be done separately. My state has a requirement on how many hours we need and I'm already obligated to spend a huge chunk of my day homeschooling. The more I can have them do independently while working with another kid, the better. -We don't do Morning Basket or Poetry Tea Time. Next year we might try a Morning Basket or at least go over what the gist of the day will be but I'm not sure yet. -My kids LOVE science and beg me to do experiments but I'm 100% in the same boat as you. Gotta make sure you have all the stuff, then you have to actually do it, and then cleaning up afterwards. Ugh! I have enough to clean every day as it is! True, I could have them clean it up but it's still a hassle that I just...no thanks lol. We do things once in awhile but it's definitely not something I see us doing on a regular or even semi-regular basis. I make an exception for Art because it's more clutter than mess. -We do things quite loosely now but next year I have it set which subjects will be done daily and which ones will be done less often. I used your scheduling videos to do this so thank you!! We will have another kid to homeschool next year too so that will be interesting, especially since it'll be at the high school level. I'm also going to take the advice of you and many others and schedule days or weeks off next year because I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. Having the requirement for how many hours we need is going to make it tricky so we might wind up having to school year-round in order to take that time off but we'll see. Thanks for making these videos! They're so helpful and I look forward to more :-)

[@katiesoderling3596]

I’m so glad I found this video! You’ve confirmed a lot of what I’ve already been doing and given me ideas as well. I love the binders you made with the weekly assignment checklists. I know that would work for my 8 yr old but I’m sure my kindergartener will need a bit more hand holding. I’m also excited to check out teaching textbooks for math! I am NOT a Math person and my son is. I think he’d do well with it from your description. Can’t wait to check out more of your videos! Thank you!

[@cyndimoss426]

I love what you said, "How to learn not necessarily what to learn."

[@lotuschcago]

This plus the one about homeschooling young children and toddlers made me subscribe to ya! Your approach keeps the blood pressure chill.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thanks so much!

[@ekalmen]

We do a online planner. This is great for us. We have a plan and can move the plan as need. I pick from our curriculum what we will do that week print it out and then write when we did the work if anything is undone we move it to the next week.

[@abundanceintheson_467]

1. A schedule...um...I have 4 kids, too and yeah no schedule. We have a general flow... Breakfast (& Breakfast Basket), morning chores, etc...but no time attached to any of it. 2. A dedicated Homeschool space...hahaha nope...not in our tiny apartment!!! 3. I don't do science experiments (but we do go to a Co-op that does them). I don't like to do it either for the same reasons you mentioned. 4. I don't use a planner either. What I do instead is a "Homeschool Journal" because I like to read about what we did do. Basically, think normal journal but Homeschool focused. I use a bullet journal and I do fun drawings that has inspired my Artsy daughter 🥰 Though next year...I have been thinking of not keeping a separate homeschool journal. It is not required for our state and I have a busy 1 year old...so it's been more stressful at times this year (vs. last year). 5. Yes, I agree. I don't stand up and lecture either. We use Easy Peasy all-in-one's Math which has video lessons and learning through games (so I don't have to teach math!). I do "teach" more on the learning to read...but I wait till they want to and I definitely don't force them.

[@emsdiy6857]

I think if kids are learning and not to stressed out your doing a FANTASTIC JOB 🤩📚

[@cierra9520]

This video was so encouraging.. I thought that, I was the only one out here that keep it simple with homeschooling..I just love your list, because my list is just about the same.. I'm a new homeschooling mother and I don't use box curriculum.. I kind of go with the flow like work books or what I feel my children needs more help in..Thanks for the encouragement 💕

[@alyssaheide7979]

Same here! We do misc workbooks and it evolves all the time. Sometimes I feel like I'm being lazy by doing this but I just can't make a box curriculum work for us 🤷‍♀️

[@cierra9520]

@@alyssaheide7979 Your not lazy and it's no special way to homeschool your children, because your Thier teacher do what works best for you all.. I had to learn that.. I felt I wasn't doing enough, but when I gave my concerns over to the Lord.. I felt in my heart to do what works best for my family and we are at peace..Remember children will learn regardless💕

[@DaphnesLaurelLeaves]

I absolutely love this

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thanks! 🥰

[@millyg226]

Oh Lordy.. I so hear you about the planner. I just have my kids date their work and books and stuff we do together then quarterly I pull some stuff and put it in a binder.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

❤️ We do that with their written assignments as well!

[@alicerodriguez4323]

Yay! I found someone that doesn't use a planner! 🎉🎉 😆 I thought I was the only one. Same on everything else, too! ❤️

[@itishreenayak5984]

Excellent, I am following the same method with my 5+ old homeschooled son, though I had always wanted to go in a structured manner. This method works best for him. As such he is too young for formal teaching. But I think I am going to continue in this mode later too. At this moment, I am primarily answering his questions and that itself enhances his knowledge base like anything. He doesn't enjoy any kind of routine work. At times I would go anxious, but this video is so helpful in letting me know that this method actually works.