Who Moved the Child?

Have you ever woke up one morning and said to yourself, "Whose kid is this? Certainly, not mine!" Overnight, your child has turned into a totally new person - the sweet, little grade schooler is now a hormone-producing, young adult. If you somehow miss this alteration, they are sure to let you know.

Independent thinking and attitudes that question are produced from this transformation. This new dynamic can cause conflict and confrontation or set the stage for new learning opportunities. How does a parent handle the challenges of homeschooling teenage children?

-Maintain your teacher - student relationship
Because your six-foot son now towers above you, this doesn't mean he should be allowed to talk or act disrespectfully toward you. If this does become a problem, reinforcement from dad (the principal at your homeschool) may be needed.

Teenage children will still look to you for answers to difficult subject areas such as algebra, biology, and foreign languages. Realize you may need to incorporate the assistance of someone more knowledgeable than you. Even though you are learning the information together, you are still the leader in the house.

-Provide space for independence
Depending on how self motivated your child is, let your child assume responsibility for studying for himself. You should continue to introduce new concepts, review, grade daily work, and monitor assignments. However, let him establish his own schedule as much as possible. By high school, your child should have the tools and study habits he needs to learn independently. If your child plans to attend college, he will need to know how to study on his own.

-Channel energy
Although teenagers are growing and require more sleep, work responsibilities should be expected from them. While sports do use the high-octane energy of teenagers, old-fashioned work will also burn up their supply as well as instill work ethics that lead to successful employment. Bored teenagers are a threat to themselves and to others. Channel their strength into something useful.

-Treat him as an adult
Your teenager will no longer want to be treated as a child. Respect his privacy and confidences, but also establish boundaries and guidelines for his conduct and be unified with your spouse when enforcing them. Allow your teenager to suffer the consequences of his decisions, good or bad, and remind him that hormones are no excuse for bad behavior.

Homeschooling a teenager doesn't have to be a handful of headaches. Maintain respectful attitudes with your children and enjoy these long-awaited years of intellectual, adult interaction. You will find that homeschooling a teenager brings a fresh enthusiasm to learning and challenges you to become a much better teacher.