How to Find the Perfect Homeschool Curriculum

TLDR: Don't.

I may be having a small homeschool freak out.

Is an online program the better option?

How do we do online curriculum when 3 kids need to log in? Have different school times per kid? Do I need 3 computers? Do I need to find something else?

These are just a couple of texts I (Dayna) sent to Beckie this weekend. Thanks to FB I've seen a number of friends start homeschool already. We haven't. Honestly, I haven't done much planning other than picking the curriculum we want and buying a couple of workbooks and fancy pencils (you know the ones). When I first asked Beckie about lazy curriculums, she mentioned Easy Peasy. Easy is the lazy mom's magic word. So after checking it out, we decided on that curriculum. But now I'm having second thoughts and we haven't even started. I feel a LOT of pressure for EP to work out because I talked it up to a friend who decided to use it with their kids. So, I'm afraid of looking like a failure. 

I've become so comfortable with lazy homeschool that now I'm afraid it's going to become "stressed out because I've done nothing" school.

BECKIE, HELP!

I had a week until I brought the girls home and I had to decide on the right curriculum. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the freedom we have in Texas, where we have so many choices and only have to teach certain subjects "in a bona fide manner."

Except that I also hated it.

The choices paralyzed me!

Because it had to be perfect. I had just spent months trying to convince my husband to get on board with homeschooling, so I had to prove it was the best choice.

On top of that, Wolf is scary brilliant, with literal dreams of taking over the world someday.

The world map in Wolf's room, complete with invasion plans for every continent.

I know Sloth will grow up to be a successful naturalist, like Jane Goodall. And Monkey really gets math -and enjoys it! Next Albert Einstein. 

I had to jump start their futures! It had to be perfect!

But there were so many choices. Many of which cost a lot of money. I knew Wolf was only going to fight me on everything anyway. I really didn't want to pay $300 for a guaranteed daily fight. I mean, I could have that daily fight for free!

So I reached out to an online community and asked for their favorite curricula. 

I was hoping for answers, but instead I got words and letters that made no sense to me:

Ambleside

The Good and the Beautiful

EP

MB

K-12

And then came this comment:

"First, consider which teaching philosophy you follow, then find a curriculum that matches."

...A WHAT?

Not another rabbit hole!

My head already hurt. I was running out of time. I needed to find the perfect curriculum and fast!

Except that I didn't. 

My friend Jessica, a homeschooling mom of many, had once told me that the strength of homeschooling is the relationship between parent and child.

When she first said it, I thought it sounded true, but I didn't fully get it. Now, knee-deep in the world of homeschooling, I totally understand.

Yes, curriculum is important. 

BUT. What is more important is the environment. If they have sleep, food, and water; if they feel safe and secure; if they know they are loved and supported, they will be ready to learn.

When a child has their needs met, anything becomes a learning experience - board games, nature walks, cooking experiments!

So if you are where I was when I had a week left to plan and organize; if you're feeling the pressure of finding the perfect curriculum to prove to yourself and the world that you can do this; if you're struggling to find the books that will challenge your kids to be as great as you know they are, give yourself a break.

Don't worry about finding the PERFECT curriculum, find A curriculum - whatever works. You can change it at any time. Choose the curriculum that feels right for now.

Then focus on setting up the right environment:

-Make sure they get daily exercise, good food, good sleep.

-Give them quiet time, outdoor time, and daily exercise.

-Love them.

And the rest will follow. Because once their needs are met, they will WANT to learn. And once that happens, you won't be able to stop them.

In case you need a rundown of all your overwhelming choices...