Seasoned homeschool mom or brand-newbie, it’s extremely easy for any of us to get stuck in the “about to start” mode. Does any of this resonate with you?

(Watch a 30min chat on this topic or keep scrolling to read a few thoughts!)

You have everything you need to get started… but it’s all sitting in a box unpacked.
You have things pretty organized, but things aren’t just right yet.
You took a break during the holidays, and the idea of starting back feels you with dread.

There are a few different emotions that can hold us back from beginning, and two are most prevalent:

Fear.
Burnout. (Which is actually also rooted in fear.)

Starting to homeschool can be really challenging. Homeschool can be overwhelming and getting started can freak us out. This post includes 6 steps to start homeschooling without losing it.

Honestly, I’m so thankful I started homeschooling over a decade ago. If you’re just beginning now, I genuinely feel for you. There is SO MUCH information, so many programs, and so many moms who appear perfectly polished and put together, telling you just “how to get it all done.” They seem to do so much fun stuff. Like everyday is a perfectly curated selection of activities, readings, and hands-on opportunities. They seem to really have it completely figured out, and it can be terrifying to imagine that the “bar” is THAT high.

Comparison is the thief of everything, especially our joy, and it’s rampant in our social-media centered world. When we see these curated moments of perfection, all streaming down our screen in a row, it can genuinely feel like everyone else has it all figured out, and we can’t even get our curriculum organized well because our toddlers are hiding it from us or drawing on it with markers.

This is where fear creeps in, and we are so terrified of failing or getting off on the wrong foot or having our children hate homeschool that we can paralyze ourselves before we even begin. I get it, so much. These feelings are real and 100% valid. (They’re also not from God.)

But maybe you have the curriculum all ready to go. Maybe you’ve been homeschooling for years, but you’ve lost all your mojo because life is genuinely overwhelming at times and you’ve completely burned out. I mentioned above that this, too, may be rooted in fear. For myself, I’ve found that when I’ve burned out, and it means I’ve been carrying more that I was meant to carry. Home education is a legitimately staggering responsibility, but we are never called to do it alone. Yes, we may plan and purchase and implement all by ourselves, but ultimately the education of our children is in God’s hands. We can’t make them learn anymore than we can make them follow Christ or have a joyful heart or always speak kindly.

When it comes down to it, we have to make serious, intentional steps to get started when we’ve been stuck in a slump or paralyzed by fears. Here are 6 quick steps to success:

Pray- When the opportunity to homeschool arrives on our doorstep, the first requirement is prayer. God is truly our source of all peace, joy, and comfort, so seek His will- not just now- but every single step of the way. (And KEEP seeking it. Every. Single. Day.)
Envision- Before you Google a single word about home education, allow yourself to dream. What was your education like? What do you want for your children? What do you hope for in the day-to-day but also for their futures? Write these hopes and dreams down, then compare them to what your day-to-day life is and make them feasible. Go in with great expectations with major margin for life to happen.
Unpack- There are many "ideas" and preconceived notions about how homeschool can go horribly awry, how we might fail, and all the struggles that could happen. The "what-ifs" can be overwhelming. Unpack those fears and leave them there. They have no place in this process.
Start- Yes, before you begin learning and digging into philosophies, just start. You've thrown all fears out the window, you know your desires for your days, so make the first step in doing that. Read a book. Write a story. Make a recipe. Go on a walk. It's that easy. Honestly, just STARTING in the simplest way will break down so many of your fears. You really can do this.
Learn- Once your feet are a little "wet" with some homemade experiences, it's time to learn. Find a book list for the Jesus-loving, homeschooling mama at gcpress.tinyc.co/booklist. Expect that the opportunities to learn about education will never end. You’ll never get it all figured out, and your ideas and priorities will always be evolving. This is right and good. This is growth.
Enjoy- You've unpacked fears, created a vision, started (scared), and have learned a thing or two about a few home education philosophies. Above all, you've sought God's will and vision for your child. Now you're equipped to purchase curriculum that works for YOUR family and to enjoy the fruits of your hard work!

If you’d like these 6 little steps to success in printable format along with a slew of great homeschool-mom friendly assessments, planners, and checklists, you’ll want to download our freebie-filled catalog. Enter your email below to grab it!