25 Ways Successful Homeschool Moms Approach Home Education

I have been homeschooling for more than six years and one of my biggest questions is, what do successful homeschool moms do differently?

Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t lie awake every night thinking about it. I also don’t spend all my time fretting about it.

Instead, I read about and study successful homeschool moms so I can learn from them.

I am aware that success means different things to all of us, and that’s fine.

Some days, just getting the kids out of bed and doing their school work without any fuss makes me feel like the most successful homeschool mom in the world.

However you define success, there are some things or steps you need to take to achieve it.

Based on my observations and my definition of success, successful homeschool moms have a few things in common.

I’d like to share them with you hoping they will help and guide your decisions and the way you approach homeschooling.

This post may contain affiliate links.If you buy anything using my links, I may receive a small commission.

HOW SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOMS APPROACH HOME EDUCATION

1. THEY TREAT IT LIKE A JOB

Successful homeschool moms treat homeschooling like a real job and are consistent.

This isn’t a hobby or something that they do only when they feel like it. They know that just like you don’t get paid if you fail to show up at your job, there are consequences if they shirk their responsibility.

While they don’t receive salaries for homeschooling their kids, they know there’s a lot at stake and there’s great reward for doing a good job. That’s all the motivation they need.

If you struggle with consistency in your homeschool, I wrote a whole post on how to become a consistent homeschool mom. Check it out!

2. THEY PREPARE AND PLAN

Successful homeschool moms take the time to prepare and plan their homeschool.

They take the time to create their own schedules and routines because they know that homeschooling is like launching into the unknown.

They know that they are taking risks so they need to be prepared for the journey ahead.

This isn’t to guilt trip anyone but you need some planning and preparation to get the most out of homeschooling.

3. THEY ARE ALWAYS LEARNING

Want to be a successful homeschool mom? You have to love learning.

This is important if you want to stay ahead of your kids, answer their questions,and help them achieve their academic and life goals.

There’s so much I didn’t know but I have had to learn (and keep learning) if I want to be a resource for my kids.

Doesn’t matter how many college degrees you have or don’t have. As a homeschool mom, self-education is one of your biggest responsibility.

I encourage you to keep learning as much as you can. It’s worth it.

4. THEY INVEST IN USEFUL TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Along the same lines as the previous tip, successful homeschool moms invest in tools and resources that are helpful to them and their kids.

Are there tools, resources or apps that will help you become a better homeschool mom?

Are there books or courses that can teach you some things you’re struggling with?

I am not asking you to go out and splurge or buy all the latest gadgets, apps or tools out there. But there are a few things that could improve your homeschool or the learning experience for your children.

Don’t be reluctant to invest in helpful tools and resources.

Some helpful tools and resources include:

Amazon Prime Membership

A Globe

5. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOMS ARE FLEXIBLE

They don’t get hung up on methods or curriculum. They know there are different methods and curriculum but they are willing to try new things.

If you want to be successful in homeschooling, you have to be willing to change and ditch anything that isn’t working for you.

Be open to trying new things and new ways of learning. That may involve spending more money than you’d like but you have to think of the benefits.

6. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOLERS ARE NOT SCARED OF MAKING MISTAKES

Because they know mistakes are part of the learning curve.

Sometimes the only way to learn is through trial and error. This doesn’t mean that you should be reckless or make unwise decisions.

It just means that you’re not ruled by fear or perfectionism. You’re willing to try even if things don’t work out.

7. THEY ENJOY HOMESCHOOLING

You don’t have to enjoy homeschooling to be successful, but successful homeschool moms enjoy teaching their kids.

They are passionate. They see homeschooling as an opportunity to shape their children’s lives and provide the best education for them.

Homeschooling isn’t a struggle (at least most of the time), or one more box to be ticked. They do it joyfully and wholeheartedly.

If you don’t enjoy homeschooling, try to identify why and if possible make some changes. Homeschooling is stressful if you don’t enjoy it.

8. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOLERS EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE

Some of you started teaching your kids because you liked the idea of homeschooling, while others became homeschoolers because they had no choice.

Maybe your kids were bullied or had some health issues and struggled in school.

Whatever your reason, you took on the challenge and embraced it. This is one of the secrets to successful homeschooling.

I can say without a doubt that trying to provide a good education for my kids is one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. I know it’s the same for a lot of you.

I have embraced the challenge because I know it’s the only way I am going to make things work.

If you still have doubts about homeschooling, I encourage you to set those doubts aside and embrace it with your whole heart.

9. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOMS ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE

They know that homeschooling is hard and success won’t come without some sacrifice on their part.

They are willing to give up their time and energy to provide a good or great education for their children.

They sacrifice a second income and their own careers because they believe in what they are doing.

They sacrifice sleep, time, hobbies and even relationships to homeschool their children.

Successful homeschool moms do everything they can to meet their homeschooling and family goals.

Okay, let me add that I am not advocating that you run yourself to the ground. Self-care, rest and breaks are very important for a homeschool mom so please don’t misunderstand me.

Just wanted to get that out of the way!

10. THEY ARE CONFIDENT

They starve self-doubt and don’t let it control them.

Successful homeschool moms are confident not because they think they know it all or they are better than anyone else.

They are confident because they love their kids, know what they need and they believe they are in the best position to meet those needs.

Successful homeschoolers believe they are qualified to homeschool so they don’t waste much time fretting and questioning everything.

Am I capable of homeschooling?

11. THEY DON’T TAKE THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY

They allow themselves to have fun because they know homeschooling is easier when you add some fun.

They can laugh at themselves when they fail because they know it isn’t the end of the wold and failure is part of the process.

12. THEY ARE ORGANIZED

Successful homeschool moms know that educating their children in a disorganized environment makes things harder.

It’s true you can be successful without being organized, but it’s much easier when there’s some semblance of order in your home and life.

13. THEY SIMPLIFY THEIR LIVES AND HOMESCHOOL

If you want to be successful at homeschooling, you have to get rid of busywork that adds no value to your life or homeschool.

Successful homeschoolers get rid of extra activities and stuff they don’t need so they can focus on their most important tasks.

Find ways to simplify every area of your life so you don’t expend your energy on activities with little reward.

14. THEY TAKE TIME MANAGEMENT SERIOUSLY

There are just 168 hours in a week and everyone has the same number of hours each week to get things done.

If you want to be a successful homeschool mom, you have to stop making excuses, procrastinating or frittering time away.

You have to learn how to use your time well and be efficient.

I know time management is a big challenge for a lot of moms (not just homeschool moms), but we have to find ways to get things done with the time that we have been given.

If this is a big issue for you, I encourage you to work on this area because it will help you become a better homeschool mom and make your life easier.

15. THEY KNOW THEIR LIMITS AND THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP

I’m not very good at asking for help because it makes me feel inadequate, but I am honest enough to know that I need help from time to time.

A common trait of successful homeschool moms is that they know what they don’t know.

They are aware that they don’t know everything and some subjects are beyond them so they ask for help in those areas where they struggle.

They are not afraid or too proud to ask for help because they know their limits and what they are capable of.

16. THEY JOIN A COMMUNITY

This is one area where I struggle..

Homeschooling can be isolating for introvert moms.

People talk about socialization for kids, but us homeschool moms need socialization too.

Successful homeschoolers have a community they belong to where they can share ideas, get inspiration or just fellowship.

There are lots of opportunities to join a community, you just need to be willing to find one that’s a good fit for you.

17. THEY DON’T MAKE EXCUSES

So many of us have gotten into the habit of making excuses for our shortcomings.

It’s true that life sometimes happens and some circumstances are outside our control. That isn’t what I am talking about.

What I am referring to is the habit of making excuses for not getting things done. Coming up with one reason or the other to justify your inconsistency or lack of productivity.

To be successful, you have to take accountability seriously. Find ways to hold yourself accountable or get an accountability partner if necessary.

If your goal is to be successful, you have to be productive. You have to do all the things you need to. You have to stop making excuses and start taking action.

18. THEY SET AND PRIORITIZE GOALS

If you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, chances are you may end up not achieving anything.

You need to set goals for your homeschool and life. Your goals serve as a road map. They help you stay focused.

Knowing how to set goals and prioritize tasks and activities will save you a lot of time and stop you from feeling frustrated and overwhelmed.

Examples of goals you can set include: academic, health, relationship, fitness,, family, marriage and so on.

If you haven’t taken the time to set gals for your homeschool, I urge you to do so. I have found it to be very beneficial.

19. THEY DEFINE WHAT SUCCESS MEANS TO THEM

Success means different things to different people.

The first step to homeschooling success is defining what success means to you.

Once you have a clear definition, then you know what you need to do do achieve it.

Many of us talk about becoming successful homeschoolers, but some of us can’t articulate what success looks like for us.

Is it when you graduate all your kids? Is it when each kid reach specific milestones?

However you define success, make sure you can articulate it and you have a clear plan to help you achieve it.

20. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOMS ARE RESILIENT

Do you give up easily or do you hang on until you figure things out?

As a homeschool mom, resilience is one of the most useful habit you should develop.

When you’re resilient, you know there’s no such thing as failure. A resilient mom knows how to pick herself up when she hits bumps on the road.

You don’t stay down or beat yourself up. You get over setbacks as quickly as possible.

To be successful, you have to see every obstacle as a learning experience and an opportunity for growth.

You should be in it for the long haul because homeschooling isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Give yourself time to learn and figure things out.

21. THEY TAKE ACTION

We all know that the best way to learn is by doing.

When you learn something new, the next step is to take action.

It doesn’t matter how many hours you spend researching how to create a schedule or routine if you don’t actually follow through.

Success comes from taking action and practicing what you’ve learned.

For instance, reading blog post after blog post without taking action is a waste of precious time.

22. THEY ARE POSITIVE

I know how hard it is to stay positive when everything seems to be going wrong in your homeschool or life.

But you know what will set you apart especially as a first time homeschool mom? Belief.

You have to be a believer if you want to succeed at this thing called homeschooling.

You need hope and belief that things will turn out right in the end.

It’s okay to have doubts like everyone else but you have to remain upbeat.

That’s how you win.

23. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED

There’s really isn’t much to say about this.

You need self-discipline to homeschool well. Your kids are looking up to you and it’s important that you be a good role model for them.

Self-discipline means you show up and do what you’re supposed to when you are supposed to.

That’s all there is to it. You can read more about the importance of self-discipline in this post 4 Essential Habits for Homeschool Moms That Are Often Overlooked.

24. THEY EVALUATE THEIR PROGRESS

How do you know if you are teaching the right things in your homeschool?

How do you know if your kids are learning or if they are on grade level or whatever?

By evaluating your progress from time to time.

When you evaluate your progress, you can see what’s working and what isn’t.

Don’t wait until the end of the year to do this so you don’t waste a whole year of homeschooling.

When you keep track of your progress, it is easy to course-correct or get rid of anything that isn’t working.

Some of you were in jobs that required performance review or employee appraisal. It’s the same concept.

Basically, you review everything you have been doing in your homeschool and check if you are meeting your goals or making progress.

This is one reason you need clear goals.

25. SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOMS TRUST THE PROCESS

Are you a stressed homeschool mom?

One of the causes of stress is anxiety. Many homeschool moms suffer from anxiety.

They are anxious about whether they are doing the right thing or teaching the right things.

Some of us are worried whether our kids will be prepared for the outside world when they leave home.

Part of the reason is because we don’t trust the process. Deep down we have serious doubts about homeschooling.

What happens when you have a lot of doubts? You tend to jump around from one thing to the other in search of the magic formula.

Stop!

Anxiety will suck the joy out of you and your homeschool if you allow it.

I’m sure you didn’t make the decision to homeschool lightly.

If you’re like me, you did a lot of research, prayed, read tons of homeschooling books, asked a lot of questions before you jumped in.

Now you’ve got to trust the process. Trust your decision.

HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL MOM

How do you become a successful homeschool mom?

By not leaving things to luck or chance.

Success comes from doing the right things at the right time. Homeschooling doesn’t work unless you do.

So to recap, here are the 25 ways successful homeschool moms approach home education.

They treat it like a job
They prepare and plan
They are always learning
They invest in useful tools and resources
Successful homeschool moms are flexible
Successful homeschoolers are not scared of making mistakes
They enjoy homschooling
Successful homeschoolers embrace the challenge
Successful homeschool moms are willing to sacrifice
They are confident
They don’t take themselves too seriously
They are organized
They simplify their lives and homeschool
They take time management seriously
They know their limits and they are not afraid to ask for help
They join a community
They don’t make excuses
They set and prioritize goals
They define what success means to them
Successful homeschool moms are resilient
They take action
They are positive
They are disciplined
They evaluate their progress
Successful homeschool moms trust the process

So there you have it. Do you need to change how you approach homeschooling?