Considering Home Education Part 5: what do you know now that you'd liked to have known when you started out home schooling?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it. The 5th part to our considering HomeSchool series asks what our home educators know now, that they would have liked to have known when they started.

Most of us start out clueless, but over time and experience as we learn what works and what doesn't, our confidence and understanding of educating our children grows.

We all look back and see how much we have progressed as home schoolers and mothers since we began this life changing journey. 

Look out for the last and final part to conclude the series, with our home educator interviewees sharing their wisdom to those who might be just starting down the road of home school.

If you've missed the earlier posts in the series, you can catch up from the first post clicking {here}

What do you know now since starting home education that you wish you knew when you started out?

"Relax!  take time to figure it all out, they will not get behind if you take your time in the beginning."

Umm Ibrahim, Canada

" wish I had known from the start that children have different learning styles, and can't always adapt to different ones. For instance, one of my daughters is a very visual learner and needs a lot of hands on activities and experiences whilst my other daughter gets on very well with written instructions and worksheets. I needed to get to know my children's learning styles and this has taken a while."

Umm Hannah, UK

"That children learn when they're ready, but they also need nudges and encouragement. A smile and a encouragement go a LOT further than disappointment and rules. Happiness, joy, smiles and saying "You got this right lets try this" vs saying "NO! You're wrong!" No teaching when you're angry, depressed or disagreeable you'll just upset your child."

Holly, USA

"I wish I knew not to panic too much!"  

Umm Maimoonah, Qatar

" I wish someone would have told me to start early looking for curriculum and resources and slowly put lesson plans together. So I wouldn't be struggling and be overwhelmed by the amount of work that I have to put into this."

Umm Maryam, Canada

"I wish I was more equipped and had myself well planned out like I read on many of these bloga, 3/4 into the year , I'm still not there, but إنشاءالله , I feel assured that the next year will be a differently ball game."

Umm Yusuf, South Africa

"The number of countries that did it, the number of families doing it etc"

Umm Noor Zainab, UK

"I wish I knew more about time management, about children emotional development and teaching technics that I missed at that time."

Umm Abderrahman, Australia

"That it can be quite easy if you stop stressing all the time! That you don't have to always follow the same routine."

Anonymous, UK

"Where do I start! I look back and there is a great deal I wish I knew. Even now I am still continuing to learn new things as we develop. I'd like to have been more relaxed when I started out, and spent perhaps more quality play time with the kids rather than formal "school" time. Kids can pick up things fast mashaAllah and you don't need to spend 3 weeks teaching them something at age 4 that by the time they get to 7 or 8 they can learn in 10 minutes mashaAllah! Spend those early years having fun and building the child's character and relationship with their Rabb."

Umm Khadeeja, UK

What do you know since starting to home school that you look back and wish you knew then? Let us know in the comments below!