So You've Decided to Stop Homeschooling

Despite how some moms on Pinterest make it look, homeschooling is incredibly difficult. If you find yourself overwhelmed or at the end of your rope and you’re considering calling it quits on homeschooling, here are a few things we want you to know.

1. You have options.

If being your child’s teacher brings more strain into your relationship than it brings joy, then it may be time to consider alternatives. Rather than calling it quits on homeschooling, some families will take intermittent breaks from academic work and focus on character building and relationship mending. Academic learning is important, but don’t be afraid to give yourself and your child the space and time to figure out what isn’t working and why.

For some families, the option of homeschooling with teacher support is exactly the alternative they are looking for. Our online academy, Alpha Omega Academy, allows parents to enjoy the freedom of homeschooling with the support of a full staff of teachers and education coordinators. You don’t have to homeschool alone.

2. Every child is different, and yours might surprise you.

If you went into homeschooling expecting your child to thrive under a specific curriculum, learning style, or teaching approach, it may feel incredibly disappointing to find that your plan didn’t work out as you hoped. Each child is unique and what worked for you, for a friend’s child, or even for one of your other children might not work for all your kiddos.

Doing what is best for each unique child requires a readjustment of expectations. Sometimes, it even means allowing a child who wants or needs it to go to a brick-and-mortar school.

3. You have not failed.

If you have exhausted all your options, asked for and received all the support you could, prayed for wisdom and guidance, and still choose to stop homeschooling, then well done. Making the choice that is best for your child—despite what you hoped for, wanted, or expected—requires courage. You know your child better than anyone else, so taking a different approach to fit your child does not mean you failed.

Even if you choose to send your child to school, remember that home education never stops. Continue to pursue your God-given directive to train up your child in the way he or she should go. Encourage exploration and curiosity, and never give up the childlike love of learning in your home.