Skip to main content

Beginner’s Guide to Homeschooling

Art supplies on white background

How to Start With Confidence When You’re Teaching Kids of All Ages

When I first began homeschooling, I imagined peaceful mornings, a tidy table, and children who eagerly opened their books. What I got instead was a 2-year-old pulling pencils off the table, a newborn who needed to nurse exactly when we started math, and a teenager asking if she really needed to write an essay that day.

And yet… somehow, beautifully, homeschooling worked.

It still works — even now that I’m teaching a 17-year-old finishing high school requirements, an outspoken 13-year-old, a hands-on very energetic 5-year-old, and entertaining a toddler while wearing a newborn in a sling.

If you’re new to homeschooling, I want you to know:

✨ It doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
✨ You already have everything you need to start.
✨ A gentle, home-centered education grows naturally over time.

Here’s the simple beginner’s roadmap I wish I had on day one.

1. Know Your “Why” (It Will Carry You Through Hard Days)

Every homeschool journey begins with a reason — freedom, flexibility, academics, faith, family closeness, or simply wanting childhood to move a little slower.

Your “why” becomes your anchor.
Write it down. Put it on the fridge. Remember it when the toddler is crying and the baby needs to eat every 30 minutes.

2. Check Your State Requirements (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Most states require something simple:

  • A letter of intent

  • A basic attendance record

  • Sometimes a portfolio or assessment

Nothing overwhelming.

3. Choose a Gentle Starting Curriculum

For beginners, I recommend keeping it simple and open-and-go.
My favorites (especially with multiple ages) include:

  • Masterbooks – gentle, faith-friendly, Charlotte Mason flavor

  • The Good and the Beautiful – free PDFs and beautiful lessons

  • Math manipulatives over strict textbooks for younger ages

Don’t buy everything at once. Start with:
👉 Math
👉 Reading/phonics
👉 A simple language arts program

Everything else can be added slowly.

4. Create a Daily Rhythm, Not a Strict Schedule

When you’re homeschooling a high schooler, a middle schooler, a kindergartener, and managing a toddler— a rigid schedule will break you.

But a rhythm?
A rhythm will save your sanity.

Mine looks like this:

Morning: Breakfast, morning basket, read-aloud
Mid-morning: Math + language arts (teen works independently)
Afternoon: Nature walk, unit study, chores, creative play
Evening: Teen study hour, family dinner, quiet time

Flexible. Repeatable. Peaceful.

5. Start Small — Add Slowly

Too many new homeschoolers buy every workbook, planner, and curriculum bundle at once.

Start with the basics…
Add subjects as you grow confident…
And allow your children to lead with curiosity.

6. Build a Home Atmosphere Where Learning Happens Naturally

The most powerful education my kids have received hasn’t come from worksheets — it’s come from:

  • cooking together

  • reading aloud on the couch

  • caring for younger siblings

  • long nature walks

  • asking questions at the dinner table

Homeschooling is more than school at home — it’s a lifestyle.

7. Remember: You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

You will have messy days.
You will have behind days.
You will have cereal-for-dinner days.

But you will also have
✨ progress,
✨ connection,
✨ and moments of wonder you never would have seen otherwise.

You can do this.
And this little corner of the internet will walk with you every step of the way.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Track Your Child’s Progress in Homeschooling

Gentle, Low-Stress Methods That Work for Multiple Ages When you’re homeschooling a high schooler, a middle schooler, a little one learning letters, a toddler determined to climb everything, and a newborn who dictates the pace of your day — you need a tracking system that’s simple and realistic. I’ve tried strict planners, detailed spreadsheets, and fancy apps. None of them lasted. What  did  last were gentle, flexible methods that fit into real life — the kind of life where you’re reading to the 5-year-old while bouncing a newborn, and your teenager is asking about FAFSA forms. Here’s how I track progress across all ages without stress: 1. Keep a Simple Weekly Log (Not a Complicated Planner) Once a week, I jot down: What we read Pages completed Concepts mastered Activities we enjoyed Any challenges It takes 5 minutes and paints a clear picture over time. 2. Use “Snapshots” Instead of Daily Grading For my 17- and 13-year-olds, I take monthly snapshots: a writing sample a math q...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Homeschool Multiple Kids Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Simple Systems That Work When You’re Teaching Teens Through Toddlers Some days, homeschooling multiple ages feels like spinning plates while someone hands you a baby. Literally. With a 17-year-old preparing for adulthood, a 13-year-old deep in middle school work, a curious 5-year-old who wants to “do school like the big kids,” a toddler who loves crayons a little  too  much, and a newborn who decides the worst possible times to nap… I’ve learned something important: Homeschooling multiple kids works beautifully when you stop trying to school each child separately. Here’s what works in our cottage-style homeschool: 1. Start the Day TOGETHER (Morning Basket Saves Everything) You can unify  any  age group with a simple morning basket: Read-aloud Scripture or poetry A simple nature topic A picture book A short discussion Your teen may pretend not to love it— but they listen. And it anchors the day. 2. Teach “Family Style” Subjects Together To save your sanity, combine: S...
Post a Comment
Read more