People often hear “minimalist homeschool,” and they wonder if it’s a code-word for under-achievers who do the bare minimum to educate their children, with little intention or effort.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
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In reality, a minimalist mindset is about being awesome, instead of being it all.
Every homeschooler that I have met wants the best for their children. The task that they have assumed is not one that they take lightly – they are aware of the importance of how their children are educated.
If anything, the homeschoolers are often homeschooling BECAUSE they value education SO MUCH, and are acutely aware of its impact.
Because, honestly, who would take on all of this extra work and thought if it weren’t really, really, important?
You’ve gone all-in for this challenge, so be awesome at it!
So, now that we’re all here in this homeschooling tribe, because we believe that how our children are educated matters a lot, let’s not undo all that goodwill by listening to what everyone else says or does.
“Minimalist homeschool” defines a place where the things that are happening in your school are being done really, really well! It is a place where the things being done have been carefully chosen for their value, their love, their impact…
Their meaning.
Their importance.
Minimalist homeschooling means that you don’t do everything, but it does mean that you do the most important things really well.
Make Homeschooling Better AND Easier
There are a lot of options out there for homeschoolers. This is a huge market niche with products that claim to make everything you do more fun, more educational, and/or easier.
What if the best way to make your child’s education more fun, more educational or easier wasn’t something you could buy?
What if it is just the way you think about your school and yourself?
What if you could make your homeschool wonderful all by yourself, with what you already have?
I am here to tell you that you don’t need any products to make your homeschool easier, or more fun, or more educational. You are capable of giving your child an excellent education. You are good at a lot of things. You are great at the most important things (or at least great at figuring out how to give your children the most important things)!
In short, stop trying to be it all; focus on being awesome instead.
Here’s what you can do today to make your minimalist homeschool excellent without any new stuff!
- Write down what you’re good at. Not just subjects. Everything. Anything. Your kids are learning everything and anything from you all day long!
- Write down the “most important things” in your homeschool right now. This is a critical component of minimalist homeschool: focus. Just in this season, what is most important for your child’s education? You can change this in two weeks, two months, or two years – your choice. If you’re struggling, go back and read about homeschool values, the investment that homeschoolers make, and prioritizing.
- Make a plan to make it happen. Write down how you can make those most important things happen. Work with your strengths as much as possible. There are free resources everywhere. Try to find the best way to do the most important things. Commit to those things – stay focused.
- Shine! Let your kids see how awesome you are at those most important things. Take pride in how awesome you are. All along you have been awesome, but before you were just trying to be “all” instead of “awesome.”
- Repeat. Keep being awesome; teach your stuff; and reach your goals. Then, find some new most important things and make it happen!
Being “awesome” is so much better than being “all.”
What do you think? Do you spend too much time being it all, and not enough time being awesome? Are you going to change to a more minimalist homeschool? Can you apply this to other areas of your life? Comment below.
Want more?
There is an “awesome” group of homeschoolers on facebook who are putting their minimalist homeschool into practice every day. Won’t you come join us?
Read more about the Minimalist Homeschooling Mindset in this series of blog posts.
The book Minimalist Homeschooling: A values-based approach to maximize learning and minimize stress is available at Amazon. This book is designed as a step-by-step guide to declutter your priorities, schedule, lessons, resources, space, and more so you can have a clear, confident, and meaningful homeschool.
Wishing you all the simple things,
Zara
