You’ve likely heard the maxim “Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint” voiced during your homeschool years. But have you taken into account the fact that completing a marathon successfully requires a laser-focused long-term vision? Are you trying to homeschool without this long-term perspective? Here are four reasons to get on it right now.
First, what in the world do I mean when I bring up a “long-term vision” for your homeschool? I’m referring to your goals and your WHY. What do you hope to accomplish in the life of your kids by homeschooling them? What do you hope is the end result of all your effort?
If you’ve not thought much about your long-term homeschool vision, because – let’s face it, you’re just trying to make it through 5th grade math today! – then, don’t fret. But also, don’t put it off any longer.
It’s super easy to get stuck in the weeds of the day-to-day homeschooling without taking time to get a clear vision about where you’re headed.
Here are four reasons you need to get on this vision thing right now.
A long-term vision informs your homeschool style
I know that if you’re homeschooling suddenly (like tomorrow), you may not have the time to establish a homeschool mission statement or gather a future-looking perspective. But once you do gain perspective, it will help inform your homeschool style.
For example, if your goal is to encourage self-discovery, creativity, and entrepreneurship, you might learn toward an unschooling or passion-directed homeschool style.
If you want your kids to be well read in the classics, be able to converse and defend a point of view accurately, and also throw in a little Latin, then you might lean toward a classical education.
If the goals you have for your children include education in all of life, learning good habits, reading living books, learning life skills, and encouraging natural curiosity, then you will love a Charlotte Mason homeschool style.
So, if you haven’t thought about homeschool goals yet, or need to get clear on your WHY, now’s the time.
And if you are normally paralyzed by all the resources and advice out there about homeschooling, then having a long-term vision will help you make decisions without being overwhelmed.
A long-term vision helps you make decisions
Once your long-term vision is enunciated, then it’s easy to make decisions for your homeschool.
Decisions about curriculum become easy because you know which resources fit in with your goals and which do not.
Scheduling choices find clarity because you can say “no” much easier to things that just don’t fit into your long-term goals for your kids.
If something isn’t working in your homeschool (schedule, curriculum, homeschool style), then you have more confidence to make a switch because you’re clear in your end goal.
As a Questioner who has a lot of decision fatigue, having clear-cut goals for my homeschool has helped cut through the noise and made decision making so much easier.
Now, on the other hand, don’t ask me to go shopping with you. Because I will not be able to make a decision about what to buy 😉
A long-term vision keeps you from quitting when it gets hard
This is really important! If you want to head off burnout before it gets you, then get clear on your homeschool’s long-term vision ahead of time.
When things get hard, you need to be anchored to your WHY & the results you are working toward.
If the results are worth the effort and struggle, then you will stay in the game.
A long-term vision saves you money
And did you know that you can even save money if you plan ahead with the proper goals & long-term vision for your homeschool? How so?
Well, if you know where you’re headed in your homeschool, then you’ll be able to get things on sale or for FREE when they come up online or in person, even years ahead of schedule.
I remember scooping up certain books when my kids were still really little because I had a goal that we would be reading them together before long.
Or we’ve planned ahead with home layouts or other big purchases because we had a future outlook and in the end saved money because we didn’t make expensive mistakes.
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5 Things To Get Right Before You Start To Homeschool: Homeschool with Moxie Podcast #54
What a lovely giveaway!
What a way to Bless someone!