You Are Enough
Hey mama, we see you. We know the self-doubt, the worry, and the anxiety you feel. We know the second guessing you do in wondering if you are doing right by your child. Today we have a message we need you to hear:
You are enough.
You are exactly who your children need right now. You know your child better than anyone and are equipped to guide them on their educational journey. Trust yourself a little more and be confident that you can create a custom homeschool environment that fits you and your children.
Reassurance in the Research
Sometimes we need a little reassurance to give us the confidence we need to not just keep going but to validate us. We dug up some research that we know will help you feel great about your choice to homeschool. We’re going to throw a bunch of it at you in hopes that by the end you have less doubt about homeschooling.
Children’s Needs for Success
The six skills children REALLY need to succeed as adults
Dr. Roberta Golinkoff and Dr. Kathy Hirsch-Pasek identify these “6Cs” and their 4 levels of mastery:
Kids Who Do Chores Become More Successful Adults
5 ways to help set your child up for future success - UNICEF
Stimulate baby talk and treat it as real conversation
Read to your baby to exercise language
Use everyday experiences as learning opportunities
Take play seriously
Lead by example
12 Ways to Prepare Your Kids to Lead Happy, Successful Lives - entrepreneur.com
Move to the best neighborhood you can afford.
Become a happier and less stressed person yourself.
Make them do chores.
Make your kids read daily and learn math at early age.
Set high expectations.
Praise them correctly.
Create family rituals.
Teach them to be "gritty."
Help them build meaningful relationships.
Teach them to be all-around healthy.
Give them bias-proof names.
Encourage entrepreneurship.
7 Tips On How To Raise Successful Kids According To Science - Parenting for Brain
Be a warm, responsive and accepting parent
Master and teach emotional regulation
Let them practice decision making
Challenge them just enough
Stop using reward and punishment. Motivate them through values
Kind, firm and respectful discipline
Listen to science and avoid parenting myths
5 Things Every Child Needs To Be Successful In Life - lifehack.org
A reliable environment
Opportunities to grow
Connectivity
Encouragement
Problem solving skills
Children’s Psychological Needs
What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Health - Mental Health America
Unconditional love from family
Self-confidence and high self-esteem
The opportunity to play with other children
Encouraging teachers and supportive caretakers
Safe and secure surroundings
Appropriate guidance and discipline
Top 3 Things Kids Need - CNBC & Liverpool John Moores University
Autonomy
Competence
Relatedness
The 6 Core Human Needs - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems
Autonomy
Safety
Personal Significance
Authentic Connection & Acceptance
Progress
Stimulation/Amusement
Children’s Two Most Basic Needs - atlas psychology collective
Love and Warmth
Consistent Limits
Intelligence & Academic Success
How to Raise Intelligent Kids - Psychology Today
Take care of yourself
Show your child bountiful love in action
Listen, really listen
Make sure there’s lots of time for play
Stimulate all your child’s senses
Model and teach how to manage emotions
Pay attention to your child’s physical development
Nurture your child’s creativity
How to Help Your Child Achieve Academic Success
Encourage them to set real goals
Give them access to the necessary tools for better education
Teach them time management skills
Encourage positive study habits
10 ways to boost your child's academic potential - Focus on the Family
Read, read, read
Use everyday experiences as teaching opportunities
Know what your child is studying at school
Don’t just look for A's
Take care of the basics
Talk to your child’s teacher regularly
What’s your child’s motivation?
Allow your child to succeed – and fail – on their own
Practice discipline and respect at home
Praise and encouragement
What Did All These Lists Have in Common?
The most important thing for a child is their parents' love, guidance and involvement. Not one thing on these lists require our kids to attend a public school or learn from a certified teacher.
Custom Education
“Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves, and each time that we try to teach them something too quickly, we keep them from reinventing it themselves.”
One of the reasons we homeschool is to teach the child we have - not to teach the our child the same way as the “average” child. We can customize the pace we teach and the focus of content to serve our child best. There’s a lot negative views of homeschooling out there, but it’s truly a beautiful way to educate our children and ensure that we as parents are truly there for them. We have some additional research supporting homeschooling and customized education to really let this sink in.
Benefits of Having a Parent at Home - Very Well Family
2014 study found that children benefit from having parent at home beyond just the early years. The study measured the educational performance of 68,000 children - found that most significant impact was on children ages 6-7 but children through high school benefited from have at least one stay at home parent.
Some research has found homeschoolers generally score 15 to 30 percentile points above public school students on standardized tests and achieve above-average scores on the ACT and SAT tests.5
Children are natural learners - psychologist Dr. Peter Gray has devoted much of his career to studying children’s natural instinct to learn. I highly recommend his work by reading his book, Free to Learn, his blog Freedom to Learn on Psychology Today, or The Alliance for Self-Directed Education he founded.
Affirmations for the Homeschool Mom
100 Affirmations for Homeschool Moms & 10 Positive Homeschool Affirmations
My children are working at their own pace, and that is perfect
I allow my children the freedom to be themselves
I trust the journey
I will do what I can, no one expects me to do it all
My kids are learning to be kind, honest, and helpful individuals - even on days when math assignments don’t get done
Am I Really Enough?
Will we do everything right all the time? No, of course not. But, if we are working hard, focused on our family’s needs and growth, we have a great shot at raising children that become successful adults.
Focus on the Family provides these 2 Check-Ins to ask yourself:
Are you seeking wisdom?
Are you loving your kids?
If you are, then you are enough
