What three things are must-haves to homeschool? No, I’m not talking about curriculum, field trips, or even pencils and paper. Today I want to talk about the heart of a homeschooler. If you have ever felt like homeschooling is a journey you want to take, you are sure to be a success if you have these three things.

1. Homeschooling Requires Desire

To be a successful homeschooler, you need to have the desire to do it! Even good things, when done for the wrong reason, can fail. Please take on this massive responsibility only because you can’t imagine doing anything else.

Do homeschool if

• you feel led because of your religious conviction
• you want to spend time with your child each day that does not include hours of homework after a day away from you
• you want to share the world with your child in a way that doesn’t take away their childhood

Don’t homeschool if

• you are feeling pressured by family and friends
• you have no desire to spend each day with your child
• it will cause conflict in your marriage {both parents should at least have some sort of common ground that homeschooling is a good thing}

For me and my husband, we always knew homeschooling was something that we wanted to do. Unfortunately, I felt pressured not to homeschool. I had to ignore those outside fears and go with my heart. I was terrified to step out of the bounds of normalcy and break new ground. However, the desire to homeschool overcame that fear, and we eventually made the move. I still met a lot of resistance, but my conviction was strong enough to go ahead despite the critics.

2. Homeschooling Requires Prayer

There are a lot of instances that require prayer when it comes to homeschooling. We need to be in prayer before we decide to homeschool. We need to pray for direction about how to homeschool, what to teach, and about choosing curriculum. That list is endless, but we also need to be praying for our hearts and that we will be able to handle the many stresses that come along with being a homeschool family. It isn’t an easy undertaking!

Pray that your spouse may be supportive and understanding when the dishes aren’t done or the walls are covered in a science experiment gone awry.   If your spouse is the main teacher, be a support to them by asking how you can make their day easier. I use my small amount of time to offer one-on-one instruction to our first grader so that my husband can make it to his office before dinner.

Pray for the hearts of your children, that they would be receptive to learning, that they would grow in The Word, and that they be good examples of Christ when they leave home.

3. Homeschooling Requires Patience

Just because we love our children and want to homeschool them doesn’t mean that every day will be filled with sunshine and rainbows. Some days are just plain hard. Guess what? Perfect days are not a requirement to homeschool! There will be days that you want to lock yourself in your room. Trust me, I have been there! When that happens take these two actions:

• see #2 above about prayer
• take a break away from the books and out of the house

Go to the park, walk the dog, study nature, or get an ice cream cone. If not, do something fun somewhere else –go bowling or skating. Find a YMCA or recreation center to let out some energy, and please, join in on the fun with your kids!

If you have these three things, even the worst curriculum can’t derail your homeschool. If you’re currently struggling, review the reasons why you decided to homeschool in the first place and find out what is causing the problem. Be sure to involve your spouse and your children. Sometimes tunnel vision keeps us from seeing what is right in front of us.

For More Homeschool Encouragement, Follow This Pinterest Board

Photo Credit: Neal. via Compfight cc