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What if I told you that after over 20 years in the homeschool world, the biggest lessons I’ve learned have nothing to do with curriculum or schedules? Today I’m sharing three powerful truths that completely changed how I see this journey—and they just might change yours too.
Today we’re diving into something really close to my heart.
I often hear homeschool mamas asking, “Am I doing this right?” “Is this even working?” “Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.” And honestly? I get it. The doubt is real, mama. The overwhelm is suffocating. And some days, it feels like you’re drowning in the beautiful chaos of it all.
But here’s what I want you to know—I’ve been in the homeschool world for over two decades now. First as a student myself, being homeschooled from kindergarten through high school, and now as a mom teaching my own kids. And in all those years, through the messy mornings and breakthrough moments, I’ve learned some things about the beauty and challenge of this calling.
These aren’t the lessons you’ll find in homeschool how-to books or Pinterest-perfect planning posts. They’re the real, lived-experience truths that come from being on both sides of this journey. The kind of wisdom that only comes from watching your own educational dreams crash and burn, then slowly rebuilding something even better.
These three lessons have completely shifted how I approach homeschooling—not just the academic side, but the whole beautiful, messy, life-giving experience of nurturing little souls at home. And I think they’re going to encourage you right where you are, no matter what season you’re walking through.
So grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s talk about what really matters in this homeschool journey.
Lesson 1: Anyone Can Homeschool—If They Really Want To
Okay, let’s start with the big one. The elephant in the room that makes so many mamas feel like homeschooling is reserved for some special breed of super-organized, infinitely patient saints.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “Oh that’s good for you, but I could never do that. I don’t have the patience. My kids are too active. It’s just not my gift.”
Here’s what I’ve learned after watching countless families make this work: homeschooling isn’t for every parent and every kid, but most families can make it work if they’re passionate about it and feel like it’s the right thing for their family.
And honestly? The people who want to do it but find excuses are usually just looking for excuses.
The Myth of the “Perfect” Homeschool Parent
We’ve been sold this lie that homeschool moms are naturally organized, endlessly patient, and somehow equipped with superhuman teaching abilities. Let me burst that bubble right now.
I’ve worked with families where both parents work full-time. I personally work part-time—sometimes from home, sometimes at my workplace where I take my kids with me. I’ve seen families who homeschool in the mornings, others who do it at night, and some who tackle everything on weekends.
Here’s the truth: you can fit homeschool into your life, your rhythm, your routine. It doesn’t have to look the same as anyone else’s.
When I was a kid, my mom went through seasons of severe illness. Did we quit homeschooling? Nope. We pivoted. She chose curriculum that my sister and I could mostly do independently. We did school in the car, at doctor’s offices, wherever life took us. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.
That’s what rhythms are all about—you have your anchor points, and everything else flows around your real life.
Real Families, Real Solutions
Right now, I get up before my kids to do some work. We do early morning school before I head to my workplace one day a week. Then we come home and finish up. It’s not a rigid schedule—it’s a flexible rhythm that works for our family.
I know a single mom who homeschools while running her own business. She does core subjects early in the morning, then her kids do independent work while she takes client calls. Another family I know does “car school” during their long commute to Dad’s job, turning drive time into learning time.
The point isn’t that any of these approaches are perfect. The point is that when families are committed to making homeschooling work, they find creative solutions that fit their unique circumstances.
What It Really Takes
So what does it actually take to homeschool successfully?
- Commitment – You have to really want this for your family
- Flexibility – Rigid expectations will kill your joy and your progress
- Grace – For yourself, your kids, and the messy process of learning together
- Systems – Simple rhythms and organization that actually stick
Notice what’s not on that list? Perfect patience. Teaching degrees. Color-coordinated learning centers. Pinterest-worthy school rooms.
You need a system that sticks, not a perfect setup that stresses you out.
Lesson 2: Every Child is Incredibly Different (And That’s Beautiful)
This lesson was a hard one for me to learn, and it completely revolutionized how I approach teaching my kids.
When I was three years old, I watched my older sister learning to read at six and thought, “I want to do that too!” So my mom taught me to read at three. I was that kid who loved workbooks, thrived on structure, and couldn’t wait to check things off my list.
Fast forward to my own daughter. I got this beautiful preschool curriculum for her at three, thinking she’d love it just like I did.
She fought tooth and nail.
She didn’t want the workbook, didn’t want to sit for stories, didn’t want any of it. Teaching her to read was incredibly difficult, and she didn’t really start reading until she was eight or nine. Not because I didn’t try, not because she wasn’t capable, but because it just wasn’t her time.
The Comparison Trap
Here’s where so many of us get stuck: we compare our children to other kids, to their siblings, even to ourselves. We see little Johnny reading chapter books at five and panic that our seven-year-old is still sounding out words.
But here’s the reality: children develop at wildly different paces, and that’s completely normal.
Research shows that the window for learning to read fluently can span from ages 4 to 8—sometimes even later—and all of these children can become equally capable readers. Einstein didn’t speak fluently until he was four. Some kids walk at nine months; others don’t take their first steps until eighteen months. Both timelines are normal.
Now my three-year-old son? He’s pulling books off the shelf, demanding we do them. He loves workbooks and educational activities. Same curriculum, completely different kid.
Embracing Learning Differences
This is why you can’t use cookie-cutter approaches and expect them to work for every child. Every kid has different:
- Learning styles – Some need movement while they learn, others need complete stillness
- Processing speeds – Some kids need extra time to absorb information
- Interests – What captivates one child might bore another to tears
- Energy levels – Some kids are ready to tackle academics first thing in the morning, others need time to wake up
With my daughter, I ended up putting away the workbooks and trying unit studies instead—lessons we read together with discussion questions and just one or two pages of activities. She thrived with that approach when she was really young.
My son? He loves moving from station to station—workbook page, scissors activity, coloring, block building. The same preschool curriculum that didn’t work for his sister is perfect for him.
Adjusting Your Approach
When my sister and I were kids, we learned to be very independent learners. We had our checklists and would race through subjects because we wanted to get to playtime. Maybe my daughter will get there eventually, but right now I’m leading her through most things because she’s still building her reading confidence.
And that’s okay. That’s exactly how it should be.
Your job isn’t to force your child into a predetermined mold. Your job is to discover how your unique child learns best and create space for them to flourish.
This means you might need to:
- Try multiple curriculums before finding the right fit
- Adjust your timeline and expectations
- Focus on progress, not perfection
- Celebrate small wins along the way
Remember: there’s no such thing as “behind” when you’re homeschooling. There’s only your child’s unique journey unfolding at exactly the right pace.
Lesson 3: Homeschooling is About Nurturing the Whole Soul
Here’s the lesson that changed everything for me: homeschooling isn’t just about doing school at home. It’s about nurturing your child’s entire soul.
When I was a kid, I thought we were just getting a good education with a one-on-one teacher. What I didn’t realize until much later was all the life lessons we were learning along the way—lessons that had nothing to do with textbooks but everything to do with becoming capable, confident human beings.
The Hidden Curriculum
Research consistently shows that academic achievement, while important, isn’t the only predictor of success in life. Character traits like resilience, self-discipline, creativity, and emotional intelligence often matter more in the long run.
Here’s what homeschooling naturally builds:
Independence – Having a list of subjects to complete each day and the freedom to move on when finished teaches self-direction and personal responsibility.
Cooperation – When you’re in the same room with siblings who are studying different things with different learning styles, you have to figure out how to get along. You learn conflict resolution in real time.
Life Skills – We were folded into the entire daily life of our home. We cooked, cleaned, took care of the house, watered plants, fed pets—all the things that make a home run. We got to see and participate in real life, year-round.
Creativity and Imagination – We learned to deal with boredom, which led to incredible creativity. We had time to just be kids—to play, explore nature, use our imaginations. We had more margin for childhood.
The Socialization Question
People say homeschoolers don’t get socialized, but if you have siblings? You have constant socialization. You’re learning conflict resolution, problem-solving, and teamwork every single day. And if you’re an only child, those lessons still happen—they just look different through co-ops, activities, and community involvement.
But here’s what’s different about homeschool socialization: it’s not age-segregated. Homeschooled kids learn to interact with people of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. They practice having conversations with adults, caring for younger children, and learning from older kids. This mirrors real life much more accurately than traditional classroom settings.
Building Character, Not Just Intellect
I want you to start thinking about homeschooling as more than just academics. Yes, reading, writing, and arithmetic are important. But we’re raising little humans into capable, confident adults.
By keeping them connected and nurtured within their family, we’re giving them:
- A solid foundation of love and security
- Values that align with our family’s beliefs
- Protection during vulnerable developmental years
- More time for character development
- Opportunities to contribute meaningfully to family life
This doesn’t mean other forms of schooling can’t achieve these things, but homeschooling gives us a special kind of training ground because of those extra hours we get with our kids.
The Long View
When my kids are adults, I want them to remember their childhood as a time of security, exploration, and growing confidence. I want them to know they were valued not just for their academic performance, but for who they were becoming as people.
That’s the real goal: raising humans who are kind, capable, curious, and confident in their own skin.
Making It Work for Your Family
So how do you actually implement these lessons in your day-to-day homeschool life?
Start With Your Why
Remember why you chose this path. When the hard days come (and they will), your “why” will anchor you. Whether it’s wanting more family time, protecting your child’s unique learning style, or instilling specific values—keep that vision front and center.
Embrace the Pivot
Don’t be afraid to change course when something isn’t working. That expensive curriculum that your friend raves about? If it’s causing tears and frustration in your house, it’s okay to try something else. You’re not failing—you’re being responsive to your child’s needs.
Create Simple Systems
You need rhythms and systems that support your family’s learning, not complicated schedules that stress everyone out. Think anchors, not rigid timetables:
- Morning time for connection and read-alouds
- Core subjects when energy is highest
- Afternoon quiet time for independent work
- Evening cleanup and preparation for tomorrow
Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Some days you’ll nail your rhythm and feel like supermom. Other days you’ll count educational videos and snacks in the car as school. Both types of days are part of the journey.
Track progress in ways that matter:
- Is your child growing in confidence?
- Are they developing a love of learning?
- Are they becoming more independent and responsible?
- Is your family growing closer through this shared experience?
Final Thoughts
Here’s what I want you to remember, mama: you’re not just managing math lessons and chore charts. You’re raising whole, beautiful humans. You’re nurturing souls, building character, and creating a foundation that will last a lifetime.
If you’ve ever doubted whether this journey is worth it, I hope today’s lessons reminded you of the deep impact you’re making. Every day you choose to simplify, to focus on what matters, to create space for your children to grow—that matters more than you know.
Your homeschool doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It just has to work for your family. And if you really want this for your kids, you can make it work.
The path isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it. Trust the process. Trust your instincts. And remember that simplicity that sticks is better than complexity that crumbles under pressure.
You’re doing better than you think, and your kids are learning more than you realize. Keep going, mama. The world needs the unique humans you’re raising.
Ready to simplify your homeschool journey? I’ve created a free guide called “Homeschool Simplicity Staples” with six sanity-saving tools to cut through the chaos and help you feel in control. Because your homeschool deserves more peace, and so do you.
Download your free guide at lauranoelle.com/start
Remember, friend: you don’t have to do it all. Just do what sticks. And what sticks is love, connection, and the courage to keep nurturing the beautiful souls in your care.