**Please note resources mentioned in this post may have been received for free or I may have received monetary compensation to write this post. However, the reviews are my personal opinion. For more information, please see my disclosure page.*
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been homeschooling, at some point in time you will need homeschool help along the way. Whether you have to tackle a subject that you struggle with, a child needs extra help or you need to change your homeschooling method, every homeschool mom needs help throughout her family’s homeschooling journey.
The hardest step is acknowledging that you need help for your homeschool. It isn’t easy to accept the fact that you need help for your children and their education. Yet, there comes a time when you can’t keep making changes just to try and find something that works. Children need consistency and homeschool moms don’t have time or energy to waste, so finding the help they need in a timely manner is important.
However, finding the homeschool help that you need is not always easy. Everyone has their own opinion, each child learns differently, every homeschool journey is unique and there are countless resources to sift through online. Having multiple options and even opinions when you need homeschool help can be a blessing, so long as you take time to pray and seek the Lord’s direction before making any decisions.
I’ve been homeschooling my children for 9 years and there have been several times when I’ve needed homeschool help. I haven’t always looked for or accepted it as often as I should, but I have learned that God places the right homeschool helps in my life when I need it. I just have to keep my eyes, heart and mind open to receiving the help that He knows I need for our homeschooling journey.
Find Homeschool Help from Fellow Homeschool Moms
As a homeschool graduate I was certain that I was going to use the same homeschool curriculum that my mom had used with my brothers and I. However, I was wrong. I used quite a bit of it when my children were in elementary school, but there came a time when I knew it just wasn’t working for us anymore. I didn’t know what to do, but God brought someone into my life whose advice was exactly what I needed at the time. We changed our homeschooling method and my children and I began to enjoy learning together again.
I’ve been interested in a particular homeschool curriculum several times on our homeschool journey, but it is more expensive than anything we’ve ever used before. So, I’d always put it off as not being an option for us, until this year. I reached out to a friend that was a huge supporter of the curriculum and asked her opinion. After chatting with her and my husband for several weeks, researching the curriculum itself, shopping for the most frugal option and praying for God’s direction, I finally made the decision to purchase a set to use over the summer.
I haven’t always had homeschool mom friends to help me along our homeschooling journey. So, if you find your self without any of your own, know that you’re not alone. If you aren’t already part of a homeschool group or you can’t seem to find one local to you, try looking on Facebook or on HSLDA to find one in your area.
Sometimes the best advice you can get as a homeschool mom is from another homeschool mom. I live in the boonies, so that is often easier said than done. However, I have learned to keep an eye out for books written by homeschool moms when I’m in need of encouragement myself.
I have one book on my summer reading list for sure, but I’m sure I’ll find more! Every summer I look for a new book to read for help, tips and encouragement before a new homeschool year begins.
Find Homeschool Help through Literature
While I’ve been blessed to have amazing homeschool moms to help me make big decisions for our homeschooling journey along the way, that isn’t the only way I’ve found homeschool help over the last 8 years. Before I became confident in myself as a homeschool mom, I searched for homeschool help books online.
My favorite homeschool help books are; The Way They Learn and Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit.
Find Homeschool Help through Homeschool Conferences and Conventions
When I was in high school my mom helped coordinate huge homeschool conferences in South Texas. I remember how much she and fellow homeschool moms looked forward to going to the speaker sessions to receive encouragement, homeschool help and resources for their homeschooling journeys.
While I haven’t been able to attend a homeschool conference in person, I do attend the 2:1 Homeschool Blogger Conference each fall and I’ve enjoyed several online homeschool conventions as well. In fact, I was blessed to be a speaker in the Digital Homeschool Convention a few years ago, along with 30+ other speakers seeking to inspire and help fellow homeschool moms just like you!
Find Homeschool Help Online
There are countless websites that are full of homeschool help for specific homeschooling methods, curriculum and more! If you aren’t sure where to start check out Homeschool.com’s Online Forum.
A quick search using your homeschool curriculum name or homeschooling method on Facebook will likely turn up several groups filled with homeschool moms that understand where you’re coming from and want to encourage and help you on your own homeschooling journey.
My teens love technology and prefer to use it to complete their homeschooling studies. However, there are SO many programs online that I don’t have time to research them all to ensure they’re a safe option for my kids or even to learn how to use them all.
Thankfully, I don’t have to figure out everything on my own! A blogging friend just released a brand new resource, Guide to Digital Student Projects. This course provides 7 tutorials for online digital resources that kids can use to create projects for school! The best part is that with access to the course you and your kids can take the classes.
You’ll learn how to create a crossword puzzle, vocabulary word cloud, time travel journal and more! In addition to the tutorials there are 9 other online digital resources that you can check out. Each of the additional resources include simple instructions that tell you what you can do with that particular resource.
I have yet to find a schedule that helps me fit and balance all of the tasks that come with homeschooling, professional blogging, cottage rental business and homemaking. I’ve considered bullet journaling, but stumbled on this Loop Scheduling Workshop and may test it out over the summer because that’s the perfect time to test out changes!
This course includes video lessons, printable templates and an FB support group! As a visual learner I love all of the amazing options included and am looking forward to working through the entire course very soon.
If you’re looking for a new homeschool planner that works beautifully with a year round homeschooling schedule, I designed one just for you! The Essential Year Round Homeschooling Planner includes pre-planning pages, homeschool curriculum shopping section, monthly/weekly and quarterly planning pages, grading charts, monthly, weekly and quarterly review pages and MUCH MORE!
Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for or look for help, every homeschool mom has times when she needs help for her homeschooling journey.
Where do you find homeschool help for your family’s homeschooling journey?
