Don’t think that because you are homeschooling your kids that they won’t still groan and moan when it is time to get down to serious work. It is pretty easy to get off track and behind in homeschooling when kids are resistant to anything that resembles real work. You can however keep them focused on school work if they have activities they are passionate about to give them something to look forward to.
If this sounds like a bribe, it is because it is. Children will gladly do the activities they are less crazy about if it will be followed by fun activities they are passionate about. In my house, it can take all day to get a written assignment out of a child. However, if Drama club is at noon, and the my daughter knows she is not going if I don’t get that assignment, it somehow magically ends up in my hands by 11. My son will also get his work done by noon if he knows he cannot do any web design until it is complete.
While following the children’s passions is a great way to foster productivity, it is not the sole reason we participate in such activities. The real reason is that the children are happier and more excited about life when they are allowed to follow and explore their passions.
The first step in following a child’s passions is to find out what those passions are. In the younger years you just need to ask a child what he or she is interested in doing. If they want to try skating, try it. If they want to try soccer, try it. If they want to play an instrument go for it. The hardest part of helping a child find their passion is to help them decide if they should discontinue an activity, or if they should stick to it a little longer. I like to have them commit for 6 to 12 months to an activity before ruling it out. As parents you need to be able to help them decipher if they are losing interest because something is getting challenging or if it is just not what they expected at all. By weeding out activities and trying new one by middle school age, the kids will have a good idea of who they are and what they love to do.
During the high school years, you will want to tailor your child’s education around developing the passions that they have discovered. Whether is be music, art, sports, or technology, math, or science, this should be the main focus of their education so that they will be among the best of what they do. This will keep them happy, engaged, and enriched through the entire homeschooling process and also more likely to get scholarships to continue their passions in the college years.
Read:
Keeping Your Homeschoolers Inquisitive
Just because it does not look like education
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?