20 Jul Top 10 Habits From Super Successful Homeschoolers

When my children were still toddlers and preschoolers, I began to consider homeschooling as an option. I watched and studied homeschoolers and their lifestyles, hoping to get some insight. I witnessed many successful families that I respected and admired. There were other families that did not exactly inspire me. The families who had beautiful results, all seemed to have similar habits. These are the top 10 habits from super successful homeschoolers that I have observed, in no particular order.

What is a Super Successful Homeschooler?

But first of all, what is a super successful homeschooler? What makes a homeschooling family successful? This is going to depend on your personal goals and reasons for deciding to homeschool. Some characteristics that I look for are a happy family that enjoys being together, peace in the home, great dinner-time discussions, healthy minds, bodies and spirits. Successful homeschoolers achieve their goals, and enjoy themselves along the way.

1. Successful Homeschoolers are Independent Thinkers

In order to even consider homeschooling, you have to be able to think outside of the box. You have to be able to open your mind to new possibilities – even if they are not the most popular. Homeschooling begins with questioning the status quo – and this isn’t always easy. Homeschooling is certainly not the path of least resistance! But if you have the courage to venture out of the box, if you have the drive to do some digging and research, you will develop your own convictions about what is best for your family.

Why is it important to be an independent thinker? One big reason is that homeschoolers can be constantly faced with opposition. This opposition may present from their own families and friends, from the grocery store clerk, from pediatricians, and even from strangers. Successful homeschool families need to be knowledgeable in their decisions and deeply rooted in their beliefs, so that questioning and controversy will not cause them to falter or lose confidence in what they have decided is best for their families.

2. Successful Homeschoolers Do Not Make it All About Academics

If you are not a homeschooler, you may have a certain idea of what homeschooling is. You may picture a room, furnished with school desks and a whiteboard, decorated with the alphabet. You may imagine homeschooling families studiously sitting at those desks, quietly working in their workbooks, from 9 to 3, like so many of their public schooled counter-parts. But nothing could be further than then truth (at least in my experience!)

Homeschool is not public school at home. It is not all about academics. Homeschool is about living a life that matters, and inviting education to fit into our lives where it can. Although our family does set aside time during the day to get our academics done, meaningful learning is also sprinkled throughout our daily routine. The children participate in maintaining the home – doing chores, helping with meal=planning, cooking, and grocery shopping. They are involved in gardening, yard maintenance, and other life-skills that are necessary.

Homeschooling also allows for more time to be involved in activities such as organized sports, library visits, field trips, visiting with friends, nature hikes, and development of hobbies.

3. Successful Homeschoolers Put Family First

Successful homeschoolers know that homeschooling is a family adventure. As homeschoolers, you will spend a lot of time together, so it will be absolutely necessary to learn how to get along with each other. Homeschooling is really an opportunity to build deep and lasting family bonds that many others do not have the time to develop.

Many families in our society spend so much time with extra-curricular activities that the parents and children very rarely have time to even talk. Although sports and music, etc. can be very enriching for our children, we should always be mindful that they are not completely consuming our lives, not allowing us to experience the most important parts of life – our relationships.

4. Successful Homeschoolers Find Their Village

We’ve all heard the expression “No Man is an Island.” This applies to homeschool families, too. While it is certainly possible to conduct your homeschool in solitude, I wouldn’t recommend it! Homeschooling can be isolating and lonely if you don’t reach out and find your tribe. I found this out through experience when we first started homeschooling. We didn’t know any other homeschoolers, so we went about our days alone. I realized fairly quickly that not only did my children need the company of others, but I did as well! I soon found out that there were many homeschoolers in our area, many of whom had organized groups where homeschoolers could meet, play, go on field trips together, take classes, attend a book club, etc. There were groups for every interest, every age, and every homeschool philosophy.

It can be a difficult process to find your village. Our family tried many different groups until we found our village. But when we did, it was like coming home. The children found friends, and I found like-minded Moms, who supported each other through thick and thin. Some brought years of homeschool experience, some brought valuable parenting advice, some brought an impromptu drive-by celebration in the middle of COVID lockdowns, but most importantly they filled our hearts and souls with laughter and love and joy.

5. Successful Homeschoolers Love Learning

As a child, I loved to read. I read obsessively every book that I could find in our home. But then came nursing school, with endless reading assignments of incredibly boring textbooks and the stress of constant tests and exams. For four years all of the reading that I had time to do was related to school. It became a dreaded task so that by the time I graduated, I was DONE with reading, studying, and even learning. For over 20 years, I didn’t pick up a book. The system of education had literally killed my desire to learn.

Over time, I was eventually able to recover my love for reading and learning, so that when we started to consider homeschooling for our children, I knew that these qualities would be a priority. Successful homeschoolers know that children are born with a natural love of learning – our job is simply to nurture that and not kill it.

The love of learning isn’t just for our children – it needs to be demonstrated constantly by the parents. I’ve witnessed many successful homeschool families learn new skills together, like a new sport, a new instrument, and even a new language together. .

6. Successful Homeschoolers Have Learned to Be Flexible

Because homeschooling happens in the middle of life, with all of it’s ups, downs, crises, and interruptions. There’s sickness, new babies, broken dishwashers, and doctors appointments, no name just a few. Super successful homeschoolers learn to take each of these issues in stride. They many adjust their schedules, or you may see some of them “car schooling.” We’ve done this many times. My children have done their math in a garage, waiting for our car’s oil change. They’ve done a reading assignment while waiting at the dentist’s office, and we’ve listened to an entire novel while on a road trip.

One of my favorite aspects of homeschooling is the ability to follow a child’s interest. This will often require the ability to be flexible, as these moments are rarely predictable. One example is when my son developed an interest in airplanes and flying. We were reading a book about flight, and he was so excited about this subject that it was all he could think about. Because of our freedom to be flexible, we were able to drop the lessons for the day to follow this interest. We had paper airplane contests, visited a flight museum, and watched airplanes come and go from a local airport. Times like this create incredible joy for our children, along with wonderful memories as a family.

7. Successful Homeschoolers Start Each Day Together

One of the first characteristics that I noticed in successful homeschoolers was the charming practice of gathering together for a special time each morning. Each family has a different routine which they have developed over time, but each family cherishes this coming together at the beginning of every day.

Our family has adopted this practice, too. We use it to read the Bible, listen to music, sing, and read poetry. We’ll occasionally do an art study, and then, cuddled up together under a fluffy blanket, we’ll do a read-aloud. If you ever ask my children what their favorite part of homeschooling is, they will always tell you “morning time.” Starting each day off together always reminds me of why we homeschool and fills me with gratitude. It’s hard to have a bad day when it begins with smiles, music and cuddles.

8. Successful Homeschoolers Have Homes Full of Books

Well, this may border on pathological, but it’s a good pathology to have, right?. Successful homeschoolers LOVE books, as I’ve come to learn – they never have enough bookshelves. They have learned that great minds produce great literature. Books are the source of stimulating ideas and conversation, creative projects, or even a topic of play. They are a sure sign of a love of learning.

9. Successful Homeschoolers Do Not Compare Themselves to Others

Successful homeschoolers – this goes for everyone, actually – have learned not to compare themselves with others. They do not compare themselves with other homeschoolers, with public schoolers, with other parents or families, with other homes, churches or teams. One thing you will NEVER find a successful homeschooler do is comparing their child to other children of the same age, in a similar grade, or using the same curriculum. This sort of comparison creates a toxic environment for all involved and is guaranteed to result in discouragement and feelings of doubt and inadequacy.

Instead, we as homeschoolers have the unique opportunity to meet our children where they are. We can nurture and encourage them as they grow at their own pace. And we can celebrate each victory and milestone along the way!

10. Successful Homeschoolers Value Reading Together

We all know that reading with our young children is a valuable practice. However, it’s value does not decrease as our children get older! Reading aloud as a family brings a family together physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. Successful homeschoolers recognize that this takes commitment, but are willing to give it the time and effort it deserves. Reading aloud together will initiate ideas and conversation. Our family has had many lively discussions on a variety of subjects because of our habit of reading together.

Sometimes we prefer to read quietly together, each with our own book. This always creates a warm, quiet atmosphere of peace in the home.

Our family has now homeschooled for almost a decade. These top 10 habits from super successful homeschoolers have been a wonderful guide for us, along with the families that we have learned from. If you want to be super successful homeschoolers, start by picking up some of these habits. Be independent thinkers and do what works best for your family. Don’t make it all about academics – find a balance that works for everyone. Embrace learning and find your village to support you. Be flexible and enjoy each day together as a family. Make sure you have plenty of books in your home (and read together often!). And finally, don’t compare yourself to others – celebrate your own successes!

What habit would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!