Homeschooling When You Feel Stuck

I'm a planner by nature. When I have a project to do, my first instinct is to grab a blank notebook and pen and settle in for some serious research. I compare materials, methods, cost effectiveness, and chart out various designs and scenarios before proceeding. Most of the time, planning serves me well.

Sometimes though, planning can lead to a self-perpetuating circle of debate without ever going anywhere. Homeschool planning can be this way, and for good reason. It's a high stakes venture that impacts our children. The planning stage cannot be taken lightly, but what about when it is so fraught that it impedes our ability to begin schooling?

Most parents are nervous about this road less traveled, and we are all worried about doing the wrong things for our kids. We want to thoroughly compare curriculum so that we don't waste money. We want to thoroughly research ideologies so we can confidently identify our approach. In between all of this we may be fielding questions and challenges from family and friends who don't support homeschooling. There's just so much to take in that we end up spinning our wheels and never feeling confident enough to start.


By all means, you can and should do some research and prep work before embarking on a path of home education. Keep in mind though that a plan does not obligate you to continue with a method or curriculum that doesn't work for your child or family culture.

Begin with locating a scope and sequence for your child's grade level. Use this to help you with curriculum purchases, locating free online resources, or developing your own lesson plans. Begin with implementing the 3 R's plus some enrichment like music and art. Starting this way lets you begin while getting your bearings.

If I can give you some encouragement today, it's this: You're allowed to make missteps, and you're allowed to change your mind. The beauty of home education is that you can reevaluate, modify curriculum, and make changes in response to what works (or doesn't) for your child. Dive in, and learn what works, together.

Tell me in the comments:
Have you ever been overwhelmed with homeschooling choices? How did you break through indecision and get started?