Homeschooling an only child is different. There are many benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Homeschooling an only child also comes with a few challenges.
Ultimately, the reality of homeschooling an only child is that it’s different. Whether you only have one child or you’re just homeschooling one for a different reason, there are some tips and tools to help make the journey successful for everyone.
I’m excited to share my top tips for homeschooling an only child. From tips for mom self-care to socialization ideas, I’ve got many ways to get the most out of homeschooling just one kid. Plus, my favorite free resource to help you homeschool your only this year.
Don’t miss the rest of this stellar guest post by Jessica Waldock!
{This post contains paid links. Please see disclaimer.}
Homeschooling An Only Child Is Different, But It Is Not Easy!
Homeschooling an only child isn’t easier or more difficult than homeschooling multiple children, it’s just different. There are so many amazing benefits and some challenges to think about. Ultimately, we love homeschooling our only child and we hope you’ll enjoy the journey too.
One of my favorite benefits of homeschooling an only child is the ability to say yes to more field trips and excursions. Since we need fewer tickets, we can save money while participating in more activities and going on lots of fun field trips that help bring learning to life for our family.
Another big benefit to homeschooling an only child is that it’s faster! It takes way less time to teach just one child than homeschooling many. There’s more time for us to engage in activities like games and art, and we can dive into her favorite subjects.
There are lots of great benefits, but there are some challenges too. For example, the dreaded socialization question can be a real concern when you’re homeschooling an only child.
We need to be more creative about facilitating opportunities for our child to engage with other kids her age. Joining local clubs, participating in “homeschool day” events, and taking online classes are ways we can help facilitate socialization while homeschooling an only child.
Homeschooling an only child means that you have to wear a lot of hats. Your child will come to you for everything all day. Before you know it, you’re the parent, teacher, playmate, and more! This fosters a strong connection we love, but it can be exhausting too.
Top Tips For Homeschooling An Only Child
The bottom line is that homeschooling an only child is different, but don’t get discouraged. Successfully homeschooling an only child is filled with lots of amazing opportunities! Here are my top tips for homeschooling an only child:
Make It a Family Affair
Our homeschool days aren’t just me and my daughter at the kitchen table. That would get boring fast! Instead, we take advantage of long car rides to play trivia games and listen to our favorite podcasts.
We go on field trips together as a family to local parks, museums, and farms. We have family traditions like movie night and game night that make learning something fun for everyone to do together! Road trips and pool days are more opportunities for us to build a stronger connection and encourage curiosity together.
Sometimes we wait for my husband to get home or schedule events when he can join us. Sometimes we incorporate cousins, grandparents, and friends. It’s easier than ever to get extended family in on the fun with tools like Zoom.
Find Community
When you’re homeschooling an only child, it’s important to find a community. With your community around you, you’ll be better able to manage doubts and homeschooling fears. Having a community that “gets it” can help make the journey better for everyone.
There are lots of places you can look for community. Social media groups and homeschool blogs can be a great place to begin. Attend local “homeschool days” at parks and museums to meet other families homeschooling in your area.
Take Care of Yourself
Another one of my top tips for homeschooling parents is to take care of yourself too. It’s easy to give everything we have to our kids, but we can’t pour from an empty cup. When we take care of ourselves, we’re refilling the cup so we can pour more into our child each day.
When you aren’t taking care of yourself, it’s that much harder to homeschool an only child without experiencing homeschool mom burnout. I’ve created a realistic self-care guide for homeschool moms to make it easier to find peace and space during your day.
Don’t Be Afraid to Outsource
If you’ve ever thought about outsourcing and immediately felt guilty, don’t! Outsourcing a lesson, activity, or an entire subject isn’t a failure. On the contrary, it’s a great way to make homeschooling an only child successful!
If you can’t handle another science project, if you don’t have the energy for poetry tea time, or if teaching a foreign language feels scary, try signing your homeschooler up for classes at a co-op, library tutoring, or join an online learning platform.
Outsourcing classes or subjects can make homeschooling more fun and engaging for your child. Plus, it’s a good way to give yourself a break.
Different Isn’t Less
The most important tip for homeschooling an only child successfully is to remember that different isn’t less. Don’t let comparison steal your joy. Your homeschooling journey is unique and wonderful, just like your child. Tap into your amazing uniqueness and embrace your family’s homeschooling journey!
Free Resources To Help You Homeschool Your Only
Since homeschooling an only child is different, I’ve put together some free resources to help you. Check out some of these excellent free resources for more ways to get the most out of homeschooling an only child this year.
Strewing
Stewing is one of our favorite learning methods because it works really well for homeschooling an only child. With strewing, the focus is on children exploring and learning independently, often through play. It’s an excellent way to make time for self-care and encourage independence in your only child at the same time.
We like to use strewing to start our homeschooling days. I’m not a morning person, so strewing items the night before helps create the space I need to start the day slowly while my child is engaged in fun educational experiences. Discover how to get started in my guide to strewing.
Single Player Games
When you’re homeschooling an only child, board games can become a challenge. If you want to use games in your homeschool day, you’ll have to play too. That’s why I’ve put together a free guide to gameschooling with an excellent single-player game list for independent play.
Book Lists
We love reading aloud together. Reading great books is a homeschooling activity that’s often easier when you’re homeschooling an only child. Take the win and check out some of the best book series for kids of all ages in my list of more than 75 great books!
Monthly Printables
Sometimes a quick printable is just what you need to engage your child in learning and give yourself a bit of a break. They’re perfect for carschooling and homeschooling on the go too. Check out my free monthly printables for fun activities for kids of all ages.
What’s your favorite tip for homeschooling an only child? Do you have an amazing resource or tip that I didn’t mention? Share your tips and tricks in the comments!
Jessica Waldock is a writer, photographer, and homeschool mom of one living in sunny Florida. She founded The Waldock Way as a way to give back to the homeschool community that she loves so much. At The Waldock Way Jessica shares tips, tricks, inspiration, and unique resources that help ignite a love of learning in children that will last a lifetime. She inspires families to engage in homeschooling as a lifestyle where relationships come first and interest-led learning prevails. Jessica also has a fabulous collection of unit studies on her website and shares generously on her YouTube channel. You can also find Jessica on Instagram and Facebook.
You may also enjoy:
- Balancing Structure and Flexibility in Homeschooling an Only Child | An Eclectic Approach
- Lifestyle of Learning: Homeschooling an Only, Morning Basket Fun, and Gameschooling (with Jessica Waldock)
- Homeschooling with Play, Curiosity, and Games (with Cait Curley)
- Raising Lifelong Learners: the joys and challenges of homeschooling differently-wired, gifted, and 2E kids (with Colleen Kessler)
- Celebrating Books and Homeschool Fun (an interview with Mary Wilson)
- Made2Homeschool Online Community
