Considerations Before Homeschooling Your Kids

The pandemic has been an important lesson for everyone. We’ve been forced to self-isolate for a long time at home. So, it was only natural that we started thinking about what we could do at home. 

Working from home? Check. 

Staycation? Check.

How about education? More and more parents swear by homeschooling. There are 2.5 million homeschooled kids in the US. Homeschooling has also shown tremendous achievements in erasing racial disparities related to academic progress. Besides, if you want your kids to be high-achievers and make the most of their full potential, education at school could be the way as homeschoolers score on average 15% to 30% higher on tests than other kids.  

If you wish to give homeschooling a go, you will need to think carefully about preparing your home. Indeed, just like working from home needs a home office, studying from home needs a classroom and a school routine. Here are some tips to get started!

Consider your furniture set

The typical desk in the bedroom setting isn’t going to meet all the requirements of a classroom at home. If your child is going to study full-time from home, you need to prepare more storage space for essential school furniture, ranging from books to toys and equipment they would otherwise have at school. Surprisingly, you’ll find that small preschool cubbies could be an excellent organization unit. Don’t let the name fool you. These can follow your homeschooled kid’s education for years. First, they can be used to store toys. Then, you can use the different units for each school subject, for example. 

Lunch box or homecooked lunch?

The truth is that you can do both. Many parents seize the opportunity to cook with the kids at lunchtime, which is a great way of teaching them everyday life skills. 

You can opt for a simple meal, such as an omelet, easy to cook for little ones. Or you can opt for ingredients that can be prepared in advance and let your kid pick their own menu, like a canteen buffet! For example, Scotch Eggs are always a winner, along with a simple salad and some wholegrain bread croutons. The idea is to gradually teach your child how to prepare their own food, which is something too many of them never learn. 

Extracurricular activities matter too 

On average, homeschooled kids engage in over 5 extra-school activities more than other kids. Extracurricular activity plays a crucial role in their personal development as an individual: They can build social skills, resistance, creativity, strength, and discipline. 

So, if you’ve decided to homeschool your kids, you also need to make room for more. The good news: These activities do not need to break the bank. You can encourage them to start their own vegetable garden in the backyard. Perhaps they want to join the volleyball club. Regardless of their interests, leave storage space for all the relevant items in their home classroom. Extracurricular activities are also part of their education! 

Homeschooling could be the best thing you do for your kids. Contrary to common belief, homeschooled kids are not less performant at school or in society. It’s the opposite! They gain the unique opportunity to simultaneously develop their social, everyday life, and academic skills to become well-rounded individuals!