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What Families Love the Most

The Challenges of Homeschooling

Homeschooling Multiple Ages

Customizing School for Your Child

Actionable Tips for Homeschooling Moms

The Heart of Homeschooling: What Families Love the Most

From parents just starting out to those with years of experience, the same theme came up again and again: homeschooling creates space for growth, connection, and authentic learning.

A glimpse into what people love: 

• "Freedom in my schedule and getting to actually teach the kids, not test them."
• “So much time with my children and so much time for them to really know themselves.”

• “My oldest has been able to thrive in ways he couldn’t in public school.”

Here are some of the other things that families said they loved the most about homeschooling:

• Flexible schedules that make space for family life
• Sibling closeness and rich conversations
• One-on-one time to support unique needs instead of large group work
• Freedom to implement play-based or interest-led learning
• Children with strong attachment

The Challenges of Homeschooling

Homeschooling isn’t always peaceful learning, ease of scheduling, and picture-perfect learning spaces. It comes with real challenges, and you’re not alone if sometimes it is a struggle!

When we asked what was hardest, here’s what our audience had to say:

• 55%: Balancing the responsibilities of a parent and homeschool teacher
• 20%: Managing multiple ages in learning
• 14%: Staying consistent with schooling
• 11%: Finding the right curriculum for your child

Many shared that it’s hard to teach when your child sees you as “mom” or “dad,” and that juggling littles, homeschooling, and the needs of the home all in the same space can feel challenging to balance.

Managing Multiple Ages for Homeschooling

With 20% of homeschoolers in our poll saying that managing multiple ages was the hardest part of their journey, it’s easy to see why. Meeting different needs and attention spans at the same time requires patience, creativity, and flexibility.

Here are strategies for navigating homeschooling multiple children:

• Let go of the idea that everyone has to do the same thing at the same time. Instead:
  • Combine subjects like science, art, and history with group projects or read-alouds.
  • Allow older kids to work independently while you focus on the little ones.
  • Use nap time or quiet time for more focused one-on-one lessons.
• Try staggering lessons. You don’t have to be actively with every child all day long. Some parents schedule short blocks of focused time for each child, rotating throughout the day.

• Let older siblings help! They often enjoy helping out, and it also strengthens their understanding. You can let them read to younger siblings, help set up activities, or share what they’re learning in their own way.

Customization for Learning Needs

One of the most powerful aspects of homeschooling is the ability to completely tailor the learning environment to your child’s needs. This can be especially impactful for children who need more time, who have particular interests, and neurodivergent children.

Many families in our community shared how traditional school settings weren’t meeting their children where they were. At home, they’ve been able to create calmer, more supportive environments and adjust their approach to fit how their child best learns:

• “I can provide a peaceful, regulated space for my autistic daughter to grow.”
• “Knowing my child with ADHD has the attention he needs.”
• “Meeting my girls where they are and not rushing through.”
• “Focusing on my kids’ learning needs, not a one-size-fits-all plan.”

Whether it’s allowing movement during lessons, shortening work periods, using interest-led topics, or building in sensory breaks, homeschooling allows parents to support and respect each child’s rhythms.

For many, this customization leads to less resistance, more confidence, and a stronger parent-child relationship.

Actionable Tips from Homeschool Mamas

Whether you're just beginning or in the thick of it, sometimes the most helpful advice comes from others who’ve walked the same path. We asked homeschool families what tips they have, here is some practical support:

Start Simple & Find Your Rhythm

• “It takes a bit in the beginning to find your groove, but you will.”
• “Start slow and simple. You don’t need all the gadgets.”
• “Your stuff will slowly build. Just pick one or two things to really do well.”
• "Don't try to replicate school or what anyone else is doing. It doesn't have to look pretty to be good."

Homeschooling doesn’t need to replicate school. In fact, many parents emphasized the importance of letting go of traditional expectations or matching what you see on social media. 

Provide Gentle Structure

• “Have an area of the room where certain things happen, it helps to differentiate home and school if possible.”
• “Stay organized, but it doesn’t have to be fancy.”
• “You can still have structure and go with the flow.”

Follow Your Child

• “Do your research and find the method that fits your family.”
• “Follow your kid. If they need to move while learning, let them.”
• "It doesn't need to be fancy."

The beauty of homeschooling is flexibility. If something isn’t working, you can change it. If your child lights up about something, you can lean in.

Find Your People

• “Find your support system, be that Co-op, friends, enrichment programs, etc."
• “It’s worth it! Find community."

Being part of a community can ease the load and help you feel less alone. It also gives your kids more social connections and variety.

Give Yourself Grace

• “Take it easy and lower the pressure.”
• “You can do it. It is overwhelming, but be gentle with yourself.”
• "Not all plans will work out, be okay with do-overs and the unexpected challenges."

Give it Time

• "Take it one day at a time, focus on their progress. Your children are learning."
• "It takes a bit in the beginning to find your groove, but you will!"
• "The beginning is always hard. Remember you are both new to it. Try to be consistent." 

Some Other Actionable Tips

• “You need to unschool to homeschool."
• "Do your research and find the method that fits your family.”
• “Get help with establishing a syllabus if you need it.”