The Cambridge Dictionary defines enthusiasm as: “A feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and a desire to be involved in it, or a subject that produces such a feeling.” As a homeschooler, you have an “energetic interest” in your child’s education.
You’ve decided to homeschool for a reason, and now that you made that decision, you want to give 100 percent…always. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done.
The Power of Enthusiasm
You’ve witnessed enthusiasm before: Parents rooting for their children during a sporting event, fans screaming for their favorite team, and teachers passionately conveying their message on a subject. And those who feel that enthusiasm and witness its genuine power, feed off it.
You can harness the same power that enthusiasm possesses in your everyday homeschool classroom. It’s just a matter of believing in what you’re doing and how important your time with your children really is during the school year. Once you convey your passion and show your children how enthusiastic you are about teaching them, they will also become enthusiastic. It’s a natural occurrence.
Once you get the enthusiasm ball rolling though, it’s not always easy to keep it going. Even the most veteran homeschoolers experience burnout some time during the homeschool year.
Fire it Up
The constant pressure that many homeschooling parents put on themselves makes the days feel like a daily grind. This is natural, but there are ways you can avoid it. Use these tips and keep the atmosphere in your house exciting and inspiring.
- Don’t Compare – People have a bad habit of comparing themselves with others. Ellen, a homeschool mom for two years, started comparing her daughter and her own homeschooling techniques with other families. It impacted their homeschooling experience in a negative way.
“When I first joined a homeschool group, I couldn’t help but notice how much better the other homeschooling moms were doing with their children. I even became disappointed in my own daughter’s performance. It really got me down, and my daughter noticed my bad moods. After confiding with a friend who was an experienced homeschooler, she told me that you can’t compare yourself with others. Every family has different reasons for homeschooling and has different teaching techniques. The ones that work best for you, are the right ones – not the ones that seem to work for others. I started believing in myself again and praised my daughter for what she did best. I looked at the good things and focused on improving what I could do better.” - Keep Realistic Goals – Including your children once you begin the goal setting process will help them better understand what goals are and what’s expected of them throughout the school year. Many homeschoolers keep each child’s goals posted in a place that is convenient to access, such as on a whiteboard or taped to the refrigerator.
Once you decide on your goals, figure out what steps you and your children will take to make these goals attainable. But remember, as the school year progresses, the steps may change, and that’s okay. As your children make steps toward attaining their goals, praise their successes and if some failures or challenges occur, speak with them about how they can best meet and defeat these challenges in the future. They will feed off your positive energy and your encouragement. - Make a Checklist of What Works for Your Family – Each child is different. What inspires and makes your children enthusiastic may not be the same as other children.
Once you notice and record what works for your children, you can effectively keep the burnout blues to a minimum. For example, if you noticed in the past that your child became tired or lazy after reading basic textbooks for a while and then watched them rebound after using online, interactive lessons, make a note of it. - Talk With Other Families – Sharing ideas and thoughts with other homeschoolers almost always creates new teaching methods and fun activities. Emily homeschools three children and she noticed when one child was down in the dumps, the others sometimes experienced the same mood swing. She spoke with a friend who also had three children and received some great advice.
“My friend told me that she let one of her children suggest a fun activity. She took turns and each child got a chance once a week. They loved having the power to choose and looked forward to it each week. Some suggestions included making a homemade pizza, playing hide and go seek outside, and painting a chair that she let her children doodle on and paint different colors.” - Remember Why You Chose Homeschooling – Every parent chose to homeschool for their own reasons. Regardless, the choice was made because it was the best option for their child’s education.
Homeschooling really does allow you to bond with your children in a way that traditional schooling just can’t. When you find yourself in a funk, just think back at all the wonderful times you’ve shared with your children. It will help perk you up and may even put a smile on your face.
Every Day Won’t Be Perfect
Let’s face it, some days just won’t go your way. You’re not superhuman with the powers to make everyday a perfect success.
When things aren’t going well or don’t feel right, the best strategy is identifying the problem (or problems) and then making a game plan. If you or your children are sick, take a break. Maybe you changed the curriculum or are starting a new schedule. If so, give it some time or make a few adjustments. Some homeschoolers stop the regular lessons and do a unit study on a fun, educational topic.
Every new and veteran homeschooler go through bad days. So, don’t beat yourself up or get depressed about it. It’s how you bounce back that counts.
If despite all your best efforts, nothing is working, consider Time4Learning. Our online, award-winning curriculum can be the solution that brings life back to your homeschool. We offer a fun and interactive approach to learning that allows students to work at their own pace, on their own time. Check out our demos to see our lessons in action.
I have been homeschooling my son since first grade, He now is starting 7th grade this year and we love time 4 learning going on our 7th year, we love it!
We LOVE hearing this, Nicole! Thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of the Time4Learning family! 🙂
very helpful advice. thank you so much !
Glad to help! Thanks for stopping by our blog, Charles! 🙂
I began homeschooling my child who is on the autism spectrum in 2019 with T4L and assorted workbooks. Her learning and academic progress prior to 2019 in the public school system was abysmal and the distractions at school were contributing to her attention challenges. T4L has been a game changer for us. My daughter has excelled in reading comprehension and math well beyond my expectations even with her attention and sensory challenges. Thank you Time4Learning!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for leaving such a wonderful testimonial and for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to play a role in your family’s homeschooling journey! 🙂
I love the “Time4Learning” program! It has made out home-schooling experience a wonder. The engaging and interactive learning tools and lesson modules are excellent. I especially appreciate the fact that I can tailor the lessons and curriculum to suit my child’s needs. I encourage any family that’s looking for a school-base alternative, to try Time4Learning.
What a great testimonial, Jameelah! Thanks so much for sharing, and for recommending our curriculum. We appreciate you being a member of the Time4Learning family! 🙂
I have three kiddos and we use Time 4 Learning. We started using this program at the end of last school year and are going to continue using it for this school year. All three of my kiddos love it, I have a 11th grader, 9th grader, and an 6th grader. We love the flexibility and how each of them have the freedom to work at their own pace. It’s a wonderful program and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of homeschooling or would like to liven up their homeschool! Thank you Time 4 Learning!
This is an amazing testimonial, Nachelle, thank you so much for sharing! We’re thrilled to play a role in your family’s homeschooling journey and we’re wishing you a fun, successful school year! 🙂
We decided to try T4L during the shutdown last year and we loved it so much, we decided to continue homeschooling using this program. We even have a few friends joining us this year using this T4L as well!
This is wonderful to hear, Kari! We appreciate you being a member of the Time4Learning family and for referring your friends!
Don’t forget that we have a referral program for active members. In your parent account, you can find a unique referral link. If anyone signs up with that link, you can get $25 or a free month of Time4Learning! There is no limit to the number of people you can refer. 🙂
We started homeschooling as a result of the pandemic last year, as remote learning was not working for our kids. I’m glad I nipped it in the bud quickly and took the BIG leap into the world of homeschooling. It’s the BEST decision we’ve made for our kids’ education so far! Time4Learning really made the whole process way easier than I anticipated and I was even able to keep my full-time work from home job while homeschooling! The curriculum was just what we were looking for and offered enough challenge for our kids to advance their skills (I especially loved the 5th grade math curriculum). At our kids request, we’ll be homeschooling again this school year (starting in a few weeks) and we can’t wait for the adventure!
We LOVE hearing this, Tiffany! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, and for being a part of the Time4Learning family! Best wishes on your new school year! 🙂
WE love time4learning, it is on our own pace of learning!! Just wish it was a little cheaper for all 5 of mine!
Hi Jasmine! We appreciate you being a part of the Time4Learning family! We do have some prepayment options that could offer larger families a discount. We’d like to invite you to email our customer support team to see if there is anything they can offer! [email protected] 🙂
My two grandkids enjoyed Time4Learning last school year for the first time, and some of the subjects were hard for them at times. We are back with Time4Learning this school year. Time4Learning is the Best!
Hi Joyce! We’re thrilled that you’re continuing your homeschool journey with Time4Learning! Best wishes to your grandkids on their new school year! 🙂
I absolutely love Time4Learning. My son is on the autism spectrum and he loves the videos and the worksheets. I did put him back to a 1st grade level in language arts as that is a subject he has trouble with. This has made things a lot easier on him as he can go at his pace and not have to worry about being behind in English with his classmates in public school. We started a week ago and I am so impressed with this homeschooling curriculum.
Thank you, Samantha! We love hearing from our members. We’re so glad that Time4Learning has been an encouraging and fun learning experience for your son! 🙂
This is our second week with Time4Learning and my 3 children love it!! I have a middle schooler, 5th grader and 1st grader and they all enjoy this style of learning over being in public school! Thank you for making the curriculum interesting and interactive. I also think that the parental tools are awesome!! I also used the customer service line last week for a few questions and your staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. I have recommended you to all of my friends that are looking for homeschool or supplemental curriculum.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Jennifer. We’re thrilled to hear that your children are enjoying our curriculum, and that it’s a valuable resource for you! 🙂
Many different reasons to homeschool for sure! Although learning difficulties are a common reason, and COVID, we’ve been homeschooling for 3 years for a less common, but still important reason. My son was described by public school as an ‘accelerated learner’. He’s grasps concepts and new ideas very quickly and has an amazing memory, especially for numbers. Public school was too easy and boring for him yet the administrations would not let him progress beyond the grade of his chronological age. ‘No child left behind’ has translated to ‘no child moves ahead’!! It was very demotivating and unfair to him. Thanks to T4L, he can actually LEARN again, at the best pace for him! We can skip assignments that are redundant for him, and even move up grades in his strongest subjects. We also REALLY appreciate that T4L has kept it’s very affordable pricing during this time when so many families are struggling financially. THANKS!!! <3
Thank you so much for the kind words, Lisa! We love hearing from our members, and we’re so glad that T4L is working well for your family! 🙂
I am on year 3 of Homeschooling ! It has been an amazing journey with my kids ! My daughter returned back to public school this year for High School (sports) 🙂 She returned more advanced , mostly because of the time 4 learning program and the style and pace we set based on her needs, now she is in 3 advanced classes . I have my boys 8th & 1st and they love it , but they both have their own way of progressing ! All blood travels to the heart, it just flows through different veins .I told my step-daughter about x4l and now she too is a member with her children !
Thanks for commenting. I worry about my daughter because she always was in the top percentile. Your comment has relieved some of my anxiety. She met all her goals last year and it is she that does not want to return to face-to-face,
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing, Trina! We’re thrilled to hear that Time4Learning has been a valuable resource for your family. We appreciate your recommendation, as well! 🙂
We just started Time4Learning 2 weeks ago and my girls absolutely love it! They don’t want to ever go back to public school. Thank you for this program and the advice given by other parents. I was questioning whether or not I could do this but now I know I can.
Thanks so much for sharing, Serena! We’re thrilled to hear that your girls enjoy Time4Learning, and that our program played a role in building your confidence to get started with homeschooling! 🙂
I have been using T4L for almost a year and it has saved me a lot of time. 3,7,8 grader.Girls seems to enjoy it a lot as well.
We’re thrilled to hear this, Sheretta! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Im interested in monitoring day to day activity. How do you determine if the student is keepinng up with the calculated schedule.
Hi! We do offer automated reporting so parents can keep up with progress. In your parent dashboard, we have some how-to/FAQs that can help you with the report options. 🙂
I have 5 children. My oldest just graduated high school in June but she passed away in February so she missed her graduation. I have 3 that homeschool thru A time for Learning. My oldest son whom is a 8th grader. He suffers from migraines, Asperger ,ADHD, and OCD. Since I pulled him from public school he has opened up more he use not talk much or make eye contact he does all that now. He does all the things a normal 14 year old does now. My 12 year old son I pulled from public school he had behavior problems he went thru a lot from losing close family members to being diagnosed with ADHD, OCD and a bi polar disorder. He is striving under this program and his troubles have gotten so much better being out of that dysfunctional school all day. He wasn’t learning in public school because he wouldn’t do the work he felt alone and like his teachers care and they didn’t. we live in the South our school system is not the best to say the least. and last but not least my 4th grader my daughter whom loves school and I hated to pull her but I’ve lost one daughter that I had no control of with this Coronavirus I do not feel comfortable with my kids in a public setting so this is her first year homeschooling with A time for learning but she’s excited to be apart of what her brothers do. This program has saved my kids in every sense as far as learning goes and I’m grateful and I wish I could have knew sooner for my oldest.
Hi Joci! Our condolences on your family’s loss. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. We’re thrilled to hear that Time4Learning has been a good resource for your family! 🙂
We decided to home school our youngest due to his behavior in public school. We found out he has a learning disability, has autism and ODD. He was not being educated correctly and they did not know how to handle him. In public school he was behind in classes and did not have some classes children his age were in. Since we took him out and started Time 4 learning he is now caught back up with children his age and loves a lot of the classes. Since then we are now home schooling our teenager that also was struggling in public school. Thing is some schools do not take the time to teach children with needs, pass them on so they get farther behind. Time 4 learning was the best program we found to work with us and our children.
So glad to read that Time4Learning has been a good resource for your family, Stacey! Thanks so much for taking the time to share! 🙂
Not comparing yourself or your progress to others is definitely key. The beauty of homeschooling is that you can set your own pace, select the learning/teaching style that best fits each of your children, and having the freedom to plan out your year according to your lifestyle and Time4Learning made this possible for us. We have been a homeschooling family for 2 years now. This is the best choice we could have made as a traveling family with one hyperactive child (8y) and one very inquisitive child (9y). I don’t even compare one of my children to the other. They are completely on two different learning waves, but we figure it out and learn along the way. The do both really love the visual learning that this program offers.
Thank you so much for sharing, Minovet! You definitely gave some good advice, and we appreciate hearing how Time4Learning is working for your family! 🙂
I was chat with somebody on here and now I think I deleted them im needing to ask a question to someone. my 5 yr old is half way through pre k 2 but he should be starting kindergarden this year. is there a way to switch him to k level and see how he does and if I need to change him back?
Absolutely! You can change your student’s grade level at anytime. If you make a change and need to go back, you can do that as well.
To make the grade level change, log in to your parent account, click on manage students, and then on Update K-8 courses. From there, select Kindergarten, and Change Grade levels, and the student’s account gets updated right away. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please let us know and we’d be more than help! 🙂
I’m teaching 9th grade and the girls are loving it. Now my sister in law is starting her girls with 6th grade.
I thought t4l had a page for transcripts that we could view. Our daughter just finished 9th grade. How do I show those glasses that she took.
Hey there! Time4Learning offers reports that parents can then use to plug info into their own transcripts. We also offer a free transcript template you can download to make this easier! https://www.time4learning.com/blog/tips-worksheets/homeschool-high-school-transcript-template/
In your parent dashboard, you can generate reports for attendance, duration, and scored activities. If you need help getting those reports, please call our customer support team and they can walk you through it! 🙂 888-771-0914
Thank you for being part of our extended family…and for referring us to yours, Becca!
I definitely recommend Time4learning.
Thank you so much for the recommendation, Eunice! 🙂
I can definetly see a positive change in my 2 girls, aged 10 and 7 (and myself ). Teaching with a 17month old and only from books became a huge struggle. I can definitely recommend Time4learning. The kids truly learn the fun way. Thank you very much.
Hi Dedre’! Thank you so much for sharing your positive story. We’re thrilled to read that Time4Learning is working for your family! 🙂
Strongly recommend.
Thanks for visiting the blog and taking the time to comment, Patricia! 🙂