Things to Expect While Homeschooling
In this next blog post, EZ-Teach will break down all of the common trials and tribulations of homeschooling your child. We’ll cover some things to expect while homeschooling, including the challenges parents often encounter. Plus, we’ll provide some tips to help you find solutions to these problems. Here is a list of the topics we will cover:
1) Planning and Curriculum Development
6) Other Things to Expect While Homeschooling
While we can cover the things you’ll likely expect when homeschooling, there will always be those unexpected experiences. If you wish to chat with someone about your homeschooling journey or have questions, please contact us.
Don’t be caught off guard. Learn some things to expect while homeschooling.
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Things to Expect While Homeschooling & Tips For Combating Challenges
Homeschooling can be a rewarding journey but comes with a fair share of challenges. Here's a breakdown of the trials and tribulations of homeschooling. We’ll first review the challenges involved and then provide some tips for dealing with them.
1) Planning and Curriculum Development
Challenges
The three most common challenges related to planning and curriculum development are finding resources, customizing lessons, and managing time. Below we’ve briefly summarized these challenges as you probably know firsthand how difficult this can be.
a) Finding Resources
The first challenge is finding resources. Choosing the right curriculum tailored to your child’s needs, especially for specific goals like French language learning or EQAO preparation, can be overwhelming.
b) Customizing Lessons
Also, creating lesson plans that suit your child’s learning style may require significant time and research. There is some trial and error involved before you find the right fit.
c) Time Management
Balancing teaching with household and other responsibilities can be tricky, especially if you have young children who need constant supervision or you also work from home and are bombarded with constant distractions.
Managing time is a common challenge among homeschool families.
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Tips to Overcome
a) Finding Resources
In order to overcome the challenge of finding resources, use pre-designed curricula or educational resources that align with provincial standards. Use a ready-made curriculum that matches your child's grade and interests and choose resources that align with Ontario’s educational standards to ensure your child stays on track. You can find government resources from Ontario’s Ministry of Education website and structured lessons from online platforms like EZ-Teach, Khan Academy or Duolingo.
And don’t forget to rely on homeschool communities. Be sure to connect with other parents to get tried-and-tested materials. Or collaborate with other parents for group lessons or co-op teaching for subjects you find challenging. In fact, EZ-Teach can help you connect with other homeschoolers!
b) Customizing Lessons
As per customizing lessons to suit your individual child, begin by identifying their learning preferences. Here is a breakdown of learning preferences:
Visual: Learns best through images, charts, or videos.
Auditory: Learns through listening and discussions.
Kinesthetic: Learns by doing, using hands-on activities.
Reading/Writing: Prefers text-based learning.
Observe how your child engages with different types of material to identify their dominant learning style. You can use online quizzes or journal how your child responds to lessons.
You can also modify existing lessons by simplifying or expanding them, incorporating your child’s unique interests or adding variety. For example, simplify vocabulary or concepts for a younger child but add depth or challenges for an advanced learner. If your child loves animals, use animal-related examples to teach math, science, or French vocabulary. Lastly, combine activities—worksheets, videos, hands-on experiments, technology and interactive tools—to keep lessons engaging.
And then you can also simply involve your child! Children are more engaged when they help design their lessons. This encourages ownership and independence in learning. Ask your child to pick topics or themes (e.g., space, dinosaurs) or let them choose between activities, such as watching a video or doing a craft.
By understanding your child’s needs and taking advantage of resources and creativity, you can make customizing lessons feel less daunting and more enjoyable. Over time, it becomes a natural part of the homeschooling process.
Stay organized and manage your time more effectively with our FREE Homeschool Planner!
c) Time Management
Time management is one of the biggest challenges in homeschooling, but with careful planning, realistic expectations, and the right strategies, you can effectively balance your responsibilities. Here’s how to overcome this hurdle:
Set Clear Priorities: Define your top priorities: Is it covering core subjects, extracurriculars, or personal time? Focus on what matters most each day rather than trying to do everything.
Create a Realistic Daily Schedule: Block time for lessons, breaks, meals, and household tasks. Break lessons into manageable chunks (e.g., 30-minute sessions). Include buffer times for unexpected interruptions.
Use Time-Saving Resources: Platforms like Khan Academy, Prodigy, or Twinkl provide structured lessons. Consider tools like Duolingo for French or BrainPOP for other subjects. Or, let your child work independently for part of the day.
Teach Multiple Subjects Together: Combine subjects into thematic lessons. For example, study "The Weather" in science and learn weather vocabulary in French. Teach siblings together when possible, using age-appropriate materials.
Delegate Tasks: Assign age-appropriate chores to your child or partner and involve your partner or hire a tutor for challenging subjects.
Practice Flexible Scheduling: Adjust lessons to fit your family’s natural rhythms (e.g., if your child is more focused in the afternoon, shift lessons accordingly). Use weekends for light learning or review.
Plan in Advance: Dedicate one day a week (e.g., Sunday) to plan lessons, meals, and activities.
Use planners (click here to get our free planner!) or apps like Trello to organize your schedule.
Build in Breaks: Follow the "Pomodoro Technique": Teach for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break. Use breaks for physical activity, snacks, or quiet time.
Learn to Say No: Evaluate each opportunity: Does it align with your homeschooling goals Prioritize activities that benefit your family as a whole.
Reflect and Adjust: At the end of each week, review what worked and what didn’t. Make small adjustments to improve efficiency.
Pro Tip: Focus on quality over quantity.
Homeschooling often achieves more in less time than traditional schools. Instead of trying to replicate a 6-hour school day, focus on 2–4 hours of quality instruction tailored to your child.
By staying organized, flexible, and realistic, you can manage your time effectively while enjoying the homeschooling journey.
2) Academic Challenges
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Challenges
Some more things to expect while homeschooling are the academic challenges. Common challenges include keeping up with provincial or state standards, addressing learning gaps and helping kids master subjects.
Keeping Up with Standards
Ensuring your child stays at grade level, especially in subjects you're less familiar with, like advanced math or science, is an ongoing struggle for some parents. It can also be hard for parents to accurately assess their child’s academic levels. Visit our homepage to download our FREE Grade 8 Assessment Test & Answer Key.
Addressing Learning Gaps
Another problem is identifying and addressing weaknesses in your child’s knowledge. Parents either tend to be too critical or too biased when it comes to accepting and confronting weaknesses they see in their children.
Subject Mastery
If you're not confident in a subject (e.g., English, French or Math), teaching it can feel daunting. Parents may choose to cover certain subjects at a surface level only and fail to provide an enriching education.
Tips to Overcome
To overcome these challenges, we recommend investing in online courses, tutors, or co-op homeschooling groups for challenging subjects. You can also leverage educational apps and platforms for support.
Invest in Online Courses, Tutors, or Co-op Homeschooling Groups
a) Online Courses
Online courses provide structured learning tailored to specific subjects or skills, often with expert instruction. The benefits are that you get access to high-quality, expert-led instruction, flexibility to learn at your own pace, and often some assessments to track progress. EZ-Teach, Khan Academy, and Outschool cover a range of subjects. Providers like Time4Learning or Ontario Virtual School, align with state or provincial standards.
Pro Tips: Look for courses that offer a free trial to test fit and engagement. Consider courses with interactive features like live classes or Q&A sessions.
b) Hiring a Tutor
A tutor provides personalized, one-on-one support for challenging subjects. The benefits are that you receive tailored lessons that focus on your child’s weaknesses. You’ll get immediate feedback and clarification, and tutoring can boost your child’s confidence in difficult areas. To find a tutor, use platforms like our site at EZ-Teach, Tutor.com, or Varsity Tutors. Local community centers or libraries often have bulletin boards for tutoring services. For specialized subjects like French, look for certified tutors or native speakers.
Pro Tips: Look for group tutoring as it can be more affordable. Or check with local colleges and universities where students may tutor at lower rates.
c) Co-op Homeschooling Groups
Co-op groups involve families coming together to share teaching responsibilities. Often, homeschooled groups will get access to group activities like science labs, art classes, or field trips. Your children will have opportunities for socialization and collaborative learning and you’ll benefit from the shared workload among parents. Search for local co-op groups in Ontario on social media or homeschooling networks. Ask for recommendations from homeschooling communities or your library. Choose groups that align with your teaching goals and philosophy and be ready to contribute by teaching or organizing activities.
Leverage Educational Apps and Platforms for Support
a) Apps for Core Subjects
Educational apps make learning interactive and fun while reinforcing key skills. Set a daily or weekly goal for app-based learning (e.g., 15 minutes of Duolingo per day). Remember to use apps as supplemental tools rather than primary instruction. Some top apps are:
Math:
Prodigy Math Game: A gamified platform aligned with Canadian curricula.
SplashLearn: Engaging practice for younger learners.
Language Learning:
Science and History:
b) Platforms for All Subjects
Comprehensive platforms provide a well-rounded curriculum. Top platforms include:
Khan Academy: Free, high-quality lessons in math, science, history, and more.
Time4Learning: Paid service offering structured lessons by grade level.
Epic! Books for Kids: A digital library for reading practice.
You may use them for self-paced learning during independent study time. Assign specific lessons or quizzes based on the week’s focus.
c) Interactive Games and Simulations
Games can make abstract concepts tangible and fun. Here are some programs to try:
Minecraft: Education Edition: Teaches subjects like coding, math, and geography.
National Geographic Kids: Interactive science and geography activities.
BBC Bitesize: Free games and videos tailored for primary and secondary learners.
d) Platforms for Assessments and Progress Tracking
Tools like these help you evaluate your child’s progress and identify areas for improvement. Some to try include:
IXL: Tracks proficiency in math, language arts, and more.
Seesaw: Lets students complete assignments digitally and showcases their work.
By combining the expertise of online resources and tutors with the engaging elements of apps and group learning, you can provide a robust and enjoyable homeschooling experience for your child. These tools not only save time but also ensure your child gets the support they need in challenging areas.
3) Socialization
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Challenges
One of the biggest concerns parents have about homeschooling is socialization. If you are not proactive as a parent, your child could experience limited peer interaction and miss out on daily interaction with peers in traditional schools. Also, it can be challenging to provide opportunities for teamwork and communication outside a school setting.
Tips to Overcome
Overcoming socialization challenges in homeschooling is essential for your child’s development, as it helps them build communication, teamwork, and emotional skills. Here’s a guide to ensure your child gets plenty of opportunities to interact with others and thrive socially:
Join Local Homeschooling Groups
Homeschooling groups bring together families for shared learning experiences, playdates, and group activities. Look for Ontario homeschooling networks on social media platforms like Facebook or Meetup. Check community bulletin boards or library programs for homeschool meetups. Search for provincial homeschool associations, such as the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents (OFTP).
Homeschooling groups often provide field trips to museums, parks, or science centers. Children often get to participate in group projects like science fairs or cooperative art sessions. They may even offer regular social events, such as picnics or holiday celebrations.
Enroll in Extracurricular Activities, Volunteer Work, or Community Programs
Extracurriculars provide structured environments for your child to meet peers and develop specific skills. Consider sports teams, creative classes, STEM clubs, of language groups. You can find groups through your local community centers, libraries, recreation facilities, private studios or organizations (e.g., karate, gymnastics). There are even now virtual extracurriculars for remote interaction, like coding or chess clubs.
Volunteering teaches empathy, responsibility, and collaboration while offering opportunities to meet people of all ages. As a family, consider helping at a local animal shelter or food bank, assisting with community gardening projects, of participating in youth-led initiatives like Scouts or Guides. Check out Volunteer Canada or partner with organizations that allow younger participants or family involvement.
In your community, libraries, museums, and cultural centers often run programs tailored to children, which are great for meeting new friends. You might discover a weekly story time or book club at your local library. You might see STEM or art workshops hosted by museums or science centers. And then you’ll also likely find cultural events, such as French immersion days or multicultural festivals.
Pro Tip: Sign up for recurring programs to foster consistent relationships.
It is important to get support from local homeschooling groups, but don’t forget to foster social interactions between peers through virtual groups or between different generations in your family. Spending time with family or older adults can enhance emotional intelligence and strengthen relationships. Deliberate teaching of social skills is also vital to helping your children.
Socialization doesn’t happen overnight, and finding the right group or activity may take time, but by combining these strategies, your child can build lasting friendships, improve social skills, and enjoy a rich, fulfilling homeschool experience while staying connected to their community. For further guidance, read The Challenge of Balancing Homeschooling and Socialization.
4) Parental Burnout
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Challenges
Another one of the things to expect while homeschooling is a struggle with fatigue, emotional drain and self-doubt. Teaching, planning, and managing the household can be exhausting. Constantly being the parent and teacher can strain your patience and energy. You may find yourself questioning whether you're doing enough or doing it right. Let’s look at some tips for battling feelings of burnout.
Tips to Overcome
Parental burnout is a common challenge for homeschooling parents, but with proactive steps, you can prevent and overcome it. Here are three practical tips to help you recharge and maintain balance:
Set Boundaries and Prioritize Self-Care
You can't pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself ensures you're physically and emotionally available for your child. Here are some ways to do so:
Schedule "Me Time": Dedicate 15–30 minutes daily for activities you enjoy (reading, exercising, meditating).
Create a Work-Life Balance: Clearly separate homeschooling time from personal or family downtime.
Delegate Tasks: Share responsibilities with your partner, or older children, or even use services like meal kits to lighten your load.
For example, set a rule that after 7 PM, homeschooling stops, and it's time for relaxation or family bonding.
Simplify and Adjust Expectations
Trying to do too much can lead to frustration. Simplifying your approach reduces stress and prevents overwhelm. Prioritize core subjects and let go of unnecessary extras. Not every lesson needs to be perfect or elaborate. Leverage online curricula, apps, or tutors to reduce your workload. Adjust schedules or lesson plans as needed—homeschooling doesn’t need to mirror traditional school hours. For example, use Duolingo for French, which your child can complete independently.
Build a Support Network
Connecting with others provides emotional support, practical advice, and a sense of community. Here are some suggestions:
Join Homeschool Groups: Participate in co-ops or meetups for shared teaching responsibilities and camaraderie.
Seek Professional Support: Talk to a counsellor or therapist if burnout feels overwhelming.
Stay Connected with Friends: Schedule coffee dates, virtual chats, or outings to maintain your own social life.
For example, by joining a local Ontario homeschooling group for weekly park meetups, you can chat with other parents while the kids play.
By focusing on self-care, simplifying your routine, and seeking support, you can overcome parental burnout and sustain your energy for the homeschooling journey.
5) Financial Strain
Get some money-saving tips from a homeschooling mom!
Challenges
The cost of materials can be a burden for homeschooling families. Homeschooling often requires purchasing curriculum, books, technology, and supplies. One parent may have to cut back on work hours or stay home entirely which can result in a loss or reduction of income. Both of these factors can create financial stress.
Tips to Overcome
Overcoming financial strain in homeschooling is about smart planning and resourcefulness. Here are four practical tips to help manage costs without compromising your child's education:
Use Free or Low-Cost Resources
Save money by borrowing books, educational DVDs, and even STEM kits for free at your local library. Many libraries also offer online access to eBooks, language programs, and databases. Use online platforms like Duolingo and Khan Academy to access free educational materials for look for free or subsidized programs offered by local community centers, museums, or science centers.
Create a Budget and Plan Purchases
Set an annual or monthly budget for homeschooling expenses, including books, supplies, and extracurriculars. Prioritize must-haves over extras, and buy non-essential materials later if the budget allows. And remember to take advantage of sales, back-to-school discounts, and secondhand stores for supplies.
Swap, Share, and Barter with Other Homeschoolers
Between homeschooling families, you can reuse materials. Exchange curriculum materials or supplies with other families. Join local homeschooling groups or forums to find free resources or inexpensive options, or offer your skills (like teaching a specific subject) in exchange for resources or co-op fees.
Seek Affordable Extracurriculars
Enrolling your child in community or recreation center classes is often cheaper than private programs. Participate in free activities like nature hikes, library story times, or community events. Explore multi-child discounts or family memberships for museums, zoos, or activity centers.
With careful budgeting, use of free resources, and collaboration with other families, you can manage homeschooling costs while providing a rich and engaging education.
6) Other Things to Expect While Homeschooling
Other things to expect while homeschooling involve criticism. Watch to learn how to manage it well.
In this last section, we’ll briefly touch on a few other things to expect while homeschooling, particularly the challenges of adapting to your child’s needs, keeping up with administrative tasks, and facing criticism from others.
a) Adapting to Your Child’s Needs
Challenges
Common challenges include a) patience in tailoring lessons to suit your child’s unique way of learning, b) motivating children who are less motivated at home without peer competition or structured school settings, and c) dealing with behavioural challenges since discipline can be harder to maintain when school and home life blur.
Tips to Overcome
First, experiment with different teaching methods (hands-on, visual, auditory). See section #1. Use positive reinforcement and create a clear structure for the day. Finally, set realistic goals and celebrate accomplishments.
b) Keeping Up With Administrative Tasks
Challenges
Tracking progress, grades, and attendance can be tedious. Also, understanding and adhering to Ontario’s homeschooling laws and requirements can be confusing.
Tips to Overcome
To help you track your child(ren)’s progress, use apps or software designed for homeschool organization. Then stay updated on legal requirements through local homeschooling networks. Click on the following link to read our blog post, Homeschooling Laws Ontario - What You Need to Know.
c) Facing Criticism From Others
Challenges
When beginning to homeschool, others might question your decision or abilities. It can be particularly painful to experience judgment from family or friends. People may not understand the benefits or flexibility of homeschooling.
Tips to Overcome
Start by educating others on your reasons and the successes of homeschooling. Then build a supportive network of like-minded parents. And give yourself grace!
Homeschooling requires patience, dedication, and flexibility, but the rewards—customized education, a close bond with your child, and the joy of watching them thrive—can far outweigh the challenges.
Homeschool with EZ-Teach
We want our readers (and their families) to experience the joy of education. If you have other questions about homeschooling or want more support, please contact us at EZ-Teach and we’d be happy to chat.
