Even though I was a seasoned educator, I remember feeling unsure of myself when I started homeschooling.
I compensated by reading more blogs and books than I probably should have. I listened to as many homeschool podcasts as I could find. I watched hours of YouTube videos showcasing what other people were doing to make homeschooling work for their families.
And then, I would try to mimic their methods, schedules, routines, and curriculum choices, but it was like trying on new clothes at the store – NONE seemed to fit quite right for my kids or me.
So after years of experimenting with different homeschooling styles and routines, we finally found what worked for us – a relaxed homeschooling approach (think nice stretchy pants and a cozy sweater.)
It’s not quite unschooling, as I still have my kids work on math and writing daily, but we do move at a much slower and more deliberate pace than before.
We don’t adhere to any prescribed homeschooling method; instead, I follow my children’s lead, diving into whatever topics they currently fancy. Sometimes we’ll spend months learning about it, and other times my kids are ready to move on after a few days.
We don’t have a set schedule, and I limit the number of extracurricular activities we participate in. And to top it all off, we take a lot of breaks. I mean A LOT, but we also homeschool year-round.
All these things we do and don’t do work well for us.
However, our journey to becoming relaxed homeschoolers took tremendous inward reflection, hours of observing my children, and the willingness to dig deeper to truly understand the various social systems we live and work in.
Basically, it took YEARS of deschooling!
Relaxed homeschooling is something I truly believe in – it has made our family stronger, our relationships deeper and most importantly, the kids are really happy and learning at their own pace.
Getting Started with Homeschooling
I know that a relaxed homeschooling approach, or “slowschooling” as it’s now being called, isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a newbie homeschooler struggling to find your groove or if you have older children who need more freedom, then a relaxed style might be the right fit for your family.
It’s simple, it’s easy, and it feels like you’re wearing your favorite lounge clothes.
Whatever path you decide to embark on, I’ve gathered a few articles from my blog to get you started on your new homeschool journey:
What You’ll Find at The Homeschool Front
On my blog, you’ll find homeschooling tips, recommended resources, curriculum reviews, and notes of encouragement to help you get through the challenging days because doing The Work requires A LOT OF WORK.
At the end of almost every month, I publish Notes from the Trenches on Slow Notes, my Substack newsletter about mindful living.
In Notes from the Trenches, I share a roundup of what we’ve been studying, resources we enjoyed using, interesting links we discovered, and books we’ve been reading, all with that relaxed homeschool vibe.
You’ll sometimes read interviews with fellow homeschoolers willing to share their journey in finding time for self-care, their never-ending search for balance, and how their homeschool has evolved over the years.
As my blog continues to grow, you’ll see more guest posts from seasoned homeschoolers writing about topics close to their heart.
Recently, I started publishing articles and videos sharing ideas on how you can add more adventure to your family’s homeschool lifestyle.
Finally, you can visit my online shop, where I share resources I’ve created to help my kids explore topics they’ve been learning. I update the shop with new resources every semester.
I hope that the articles on The Homeschool Front will help some of you feel more confident about your ability to home-educate your children.
Take care!
Xuan
P.S. The Homeschool Front contains some contextual affiliate links and sponsored content. An affiliate link is one in which retail partners have agreed to pay a small commission for purchases made from that click-through. As always, I only recommend curriculum and resources that we actually use and love in our homeschool. Thank you for supporting the partners and allowing The Homeschool Front to keep running!
Xuan Klevecka is a Southern California-based homeschool mom, wife, and Holistic Education Coach. She’s an Enneagram 5w4, a lover of good food, and a former middle school history teacher. You’ll either find her looking at road maps and daydreaming about her family’s next epic adventure or perusing recipes and cooking up a feast for the brood.
