There are three factors that will help you succeed in keeping
to your plan:
- Have a strong belief that you CAN succeed;
- Having or acquiring the skills to make the changes;
- and Feeling ready to make the changes.
Often it seems easier to just cruise along, not rock the boat,
to think "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," even if
it does need improvements. You have been guiding your kids' education
in a certain way for years, but you are thinking that they just
aren't thriving, or enjoying their educational experience like
they could.
Embrace the idea of change, rather than fearing it. See it
as the opening of a new door to a new adventure, to a new opportunity.
I'll try to help you find the key to making some realistic New
Year's Resolutions and to keep them for at least 6 months. Here's
the Game Plan:
#1 What do you fear about changing
your educational approach?
Changing your educational approach is scary. You may fear
that you will fail, and that your children will wind up stupid
and friendless, and reproach you all their days.
By clinging to the negative, you set yourself up for failure.
By addressing your fears, and challenging yourself, you are more
likely to achieve your goals. You may need to make several of
these lists.
My Fears
Describe each change you want to make.
What do you fear might happen if you make this change?
What does this fear really mean?
What are the odds of these fears being realized?
You may have many of these lists. Eliminate those with the least
likelihood of being realistic, or too far in the future to predict.
#2 Select Three Resolutions
Yet work on each fear one at a time. It may be overwhelming to
focus on all three at once, and failing to succeed in one may
make you give up on the other two. Write them in as they occur
to you, based on what you learned from the Fears exercise.
Three Changes I Want to Tackle First
#___ I resolve to...
#___ I resolve to...
#___ I resolve to...
Now, put the numbers 1, 2, and 3 next to the resolutions in
the order you want to tackle them. Select the easiest first.
Nothing succeeds like success, and achieving that first resolution
will make it more likely you'll succeed in keeping the next two.
#3 Balance Sheet for Change
You may want to make a spreadsheet for this one.
You will be thinking that a change would be so hard, and have
several excellent excuses why you should continue along the way
you are going. But you wouldn't even be trying this exercise
if you didn't have a whole lot of "Yes, buts" to add
to each excuse.
It may be hard to instruct your child in something you were
never good at as a child, but that might also inspire to make
it fun and exciting, and to learn the subject matter again, in
a way you would have liked it, along with your child.
Resolution Balance Sheet
Resolution #___
| Pros |
Cons |
Resources, Ideas |
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
#4 Connect Each Resolution to One of
Your Core Values
Putting these down together in writing will help you understand
your own higher purpose for instigating the change. First you
must establish that you really intend to achieve these goals.
Ask yourself...
- How does this resolution relate to what I value?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do I really want to achieve
this goal?
- Is it possible? If not now maybe another year.
- Can I do it?
- Will I do it?
Are you willing to be realistic and patient? Life isn't a
fairy tale. Just wishing a goal to be doesn't make it happen.
Are you prepared to take the time and work to make each resolution
happen?
Linking Values to Resolutions
Resolution #___
What value of mine does this promote?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is high) how much do I want to achieve
it?
Is it possible to achieve this goal in a reasonable amount
of time?
Can I and will I do it?
What are two small steps I can do to make a start toward this
goal?
- Recommended books to help you Homeschool
-
- Top 10 and Recently Published
Homeschooling Books
-
-
- 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum:
- Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style
- by Cathy Duffy
-
-
- Homeschooling : The Teen Years:
- Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- To 18-Year Old
- by Cafi Cohen
- This book reveals the adventure and rewards as well as the special challenges of working with this age group.
-
-
- First Year of Homeschooling Your Child:
- Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
- by Linda Dobson
- Many of today's families are opting to teach their children at home. The first hurdle these families face is getting started.
-
-
- The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas:
- 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12
- by Linda Dobson
- Kid-tested and parent-approved techniques for learning math, science, writing, history, manners, and more for your homeschooling needs.
-
-
- The Unschooling Handbook:
- How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom
- by Mary Griffith
- Unschooling is a homeschooling method based on the belief that kids learn best when allowed to pursue their natural curiosities and interests.
-
-
- Home Learning Year by Year:
How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School
- by Rebecca Rupp
- A structured plan to ensure that your children will learn what they need to know when they need to know it, from preschool through high school.
- kindle edition
-
-
- The Well-Trained Mind:
- A Guide to Classical Education at Home
- by Jessie Wise, Susan Wise Bauer
- kindle edition
-
-
- The Complete Home Learning Source Book:
- The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology
- by Rebecca Rupp
- This ambitious reference guide lives up to its name. It is packed with titles, ordering information, and Web site addresses.
-
-
- Home Schooling Children with Special Needs
- (3rd Edition)
- by Sharon Hensley
- Do you need help locating the best resources for home schooling your child with special needs?
-
-
- Homeschooling The Early Years:
- Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 3- to 8-Year-Old Child
- by Linda Dobson
- The formative years are the most critical to a child's education. They lay the foundation for developing learning skills that last
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