How to Homeschool Multiple Ages
Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a blessed and fulfilling holiday season. I know for our family, it is one of the highlights of our year to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. It is also a highlight of our year because our school year actually starts right after January 6th, the Epiphany of our Lord, which also happens to be our eldest child, our only son’s birthday.
As you can imagine, this is a very busy time of the year. It is even more busy when you add to the fact that we have multiple children. I know many people may wonder, how do you homeschool children of varying ages? What tips or tricks can be utilized to ensure things are running smoothly and effectively? How do we spread our attention?
I know it can seem like a daunting task when you think about it because, let’s face it, without God’s grace, it is! Rest assured, if you are even thinking about it, you are already on the right track! I want to share some things with you that have helped me throughout the years, primarily through trial and error and from my more seasoned homeschool friends, as well as give some insights to keep in mind when you are in the thick of it.
Creating and Navigating a Schedule
One of the first things I realized when we started homeschooling was that my children worked best with a schedule. They needed a visual of what we would be doing, how long it would be, and when we would be doing it. This was a tremendous help because it ensured that we not only stayed on task but also helped me to be intentional about implementing breaks to get lunch started, stop to breastfeed the baby, or make appointments.
One thing to keep in mind is the curriculum you will be using. Doing your research before getting started to find the best curriculum for your family will save time, money, and heartache. Some great ones are specifically made for homeschooling multiple children at once, and others are geared towards independent learners for the older kiddos. A seasoned homeschooling mom and consultant, Jenny Bales, has a wonderful list on her website called “The Mega Catholic Homeschool Curriculum List,” along with tons of other great information about homeschooling.
This brings me to my next point: do not be afraid to let the older kids help! In my experience, older children like to help. It gives them a sense of independence, excitement, and pride when they can do things like prepping or starting meals, helping with the baby or toddler, reading to their younger siblings, or even facilitating a lesson with guidance or a discussion. Keeping things simple, focusing on the love of learning, and playing to our natural abilities and tendencies are some of the many blessings of homeschooling.
Learning and Leading with Grace and Patience
Homeschooling multiple children can be overwhelming at times. However, it does not have to be all-consuming. Sometimes, as homeschooling parents, we can ruminate on things like:
- Are they learning what they should and when they should?
- How do I know they are retaining information?
- What if my child has a learning disability? Will I know and see the signs?
These are all questions that I myself think about, and I have to remember that each child is different and learns at their own pace. I also keep in mind that there are so many resources out there, like evidence-based studies, that will give you guidelines and things to look for regarding milestones and learning.
Our pediatrician has also been a great source of guidance and information. Having a former homeschool mom as our kids’ pediatrician is such a blessing! Though it is a rarity. I highly recommend leaning on your community of fellow homeschool parents for referrals for great pediatricians or family doctors.
One common misunderstanding about homeschooling is that it is just “doing” school at home when in actuality, it is a lifestyle. Our lives literally changed overnight when we decided to homeschool. We went from two incomes to one. We went from early mornings and nights to sleeping in and enjoying our evenings. And we went from public school standards to having the ability to explore the academic interests and needs of our children freely. We get to study our children and really see what their learning styles are, even with things that aren’t necessarily results-driven, such as learning how to cook or going on field trips. Remembering things like this, our “why” for homeschooling has been the ultimate game changer when things seem like they are too much to handle.
Special Circumstances
With having multiple children, there will be times in our families when we will have to navigate life events such as a new baby, puberty, moving, mental health, you name it! Personally speaking, I have had to remain flexible and prayerful, especially the last few years, because we have experienced so many life changes. We’ve dealt with job loss, out-of-state relocation, a family crisis, mental health challenges, tutoring, and potty training, just to name a few. With each of these circumstances, seeking support and resources was imperative. Sometimes, that came from family and friends, our parish, mental health professionals, and online support groups. And yes, even YouTube and Google!
There will be times when you feel alone in your homeschooling journey. Maybe you feel solely responsible for keeping everything and everyone together. You wonder if you ask for help, people will see you as less capable of homeschooling your children. Perhaps your extended family isn’t supportive. Please know that you definitely are not alone.
There are so many homeschooling parents out there, and the homeschooling community continues to grow, especially among our Catholic brothers and sisters. I know when we were in the midst of moving from state to state twice in less than a year, I made an effort to lessen our work load significantly. We ended up simply focusing on math for a while because that was all we could handle due to all the changes and being on the road for my husband’s business. It is ok to take breaks to process through major family events and to decrease the demands of learning, and increase the graces that come from family prayer time.
The Importance of Prayer
One major thing that helped us all was praying the rosary often. My husband is very good about being intentional about family prayer time, which is so helpful. We pray the rosary at least once a week, most of the time on the way to Mass. It keeps us grounded and focused. Our precious Blessed Mother has been our biggest advocate through all our crazy times! We had the privilege of visiting The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin, during one of our road trips through the suggestion of a fellow homeschooling mom. What an amazing experience it was! It made me realize how fortunate we are to have special moments with our children, and they can never be replaced. We make sure to frequent confession and adoration as well, and we have many conversations about the Gospel, discernment, and staying hopeful and optimistic.
Final Thoughts
Homeschooling multiple children will look different throughout your homeschooling journey. Sometimes, it’s smooth sailing, but other times, you’ll feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water. One thing’s for sure is that this time goes by so fast, and before you know it, it’s over. We have such a short time with our children. Sometimes, even through the chaos of life, we have to be intentional about taking our time with them to enjoy them. Homeschooling allows us the special opportunity to have so much more time with our children. We can be comforted in the fact that we are receiving so many graces by educating our children and watching them grow. This fact makes it exciting to homeschool multiple children!
Mary, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
