If you’re anything like me, your first months of homeschooling will look nothing like you pictured.
I thought we’d sit down with neat little workbooks, stick to a daily plan, and actually feel like we were “doing school.”
Instead, it’s been a lot more like… real life.
Some days we read together. Some days we go outside and count rocks. Some days we talk about planets, or feelings, or why the cat acts like he runs the house.
We haven’t followed a schedule or used a curriculum yet, but somehow my kids are learning more than I ever imagined.
And that’s the first thing I wish I’d known before we started: homeschooling doesn’t have to look like school to work.
1. The First Few Months Are for Unlearning, Not Performing
If you’re in those beginning weeks and wondering if you’re doing enough, take a breath.
You’re probably still in what a lot of homeschoolers call deschooling—that awkward but necessary phase of unwinding from the system’s way of doing things.
Your kids need time to recover from the constant schedules, tests, and expectations.
You do too.
This is the season to reconnect, observe, and let curiosity lead the way.
Make space for play, for rest, and for rediscovering what your kids actually enjoy learning.
Structure will come later. Right now, you’re building trust.
2. Learning Is Happening All the Time
It took me a while to realize that just because my kids weren’t sitting at a table didn’t mean they weren’t learning.
They ask questions all day long. They build things, experiment, explore, and tell me random facts I didn’t even know.
That’s education.
We’ve been taught to believe that learning only counts when it looks structured.
But at home, it’s often disguised as conversation, creativity, or curiosity.
Your child learning how to bake, fix something, play pretend, or ask “why” for the tenth time—that’s all part of the process.
So if your homeschool doesn’t look traditional yet, that’s okay.
You’re not behind. You’re right where you need to be.
3. You Don’t Have to Have It All Figured Out
When we first started, I thought I needed to know exactly what curriculum we’d use, what subjects we’d cover, and how to plan out the whole year.
Now I realize the best thing you can do in year one is observe before you invest.
Try free resources.
Use your library card like it’s gold.
See what your kids love before you spend a dime.
There’s no rush. Homeschooling is a long game, not a sprint.
The beauty is in finding your own rhythm instead of forcing someone else’s.
4. Connection Comes First
I wish someone had told me that connection is the foundation of everything.
When your kids feel seen, safe, and supported, learning flows naturally.
So before you stress about what you’re teaching, focus on how you’re connecting.
Read together. Cook together. Laugh together.
The lessons will follow.
Homeschooling isn’t just about raising smart kids—it’s about raising whole ones.
If I Could Tell New Homeschool Moms One Thing
It would be this: your first year won’t look perfect, but it will be powerful.
It will stretch you, teach you, and remind you that your home can be a place of peace, not pressure.
Don’t rush to make it look like everyone else’s version of homeschooling.
Let it look like yours.
If this spoke to you, you’ll love the full post The Real Truth About Starting Homeschooling (Without Losing Your Mind). That’s where we dive even deeper into how to start your homeschool journey with peace instead of pressure.
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