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Solution for “My Child Hates School”

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In our Facebook group, Our Lives as Homeschool Moms, she hesitantly asked, “How long do you go without a child doing his (homeschool) work before you just enroll him in public school?”

My favorite answers from other homeschool moms:

  • Depends on the age of the child, WHY he’s not doing it, and what he is doing instead of “homework”.
  • Ask him why he’s not doing it.
  • Maybe he doesn’t like what you’re asking him to do, and you need to find a new way to approach it.
  • Are you letting him have screen time, or play with friends if he has not done what you’ve asked for “school”?
  • Does he like being homeschooled, or does he want to go to school and this is his way of pushing back?
  • Are you asking him to do too much? Could he be dyslexic or struggle with processing or physically writing and maybe that’s why he’s resisting.
  • It really depends on the WHY
  • When he chooses to not do his schoolwork in a timely manner, complain, whine, argue, debate, procrastinate or throw a tantrum, etc. I take away the things he loves.
  • Some kids are cooperative and can be motivated by rewards. Others (like the strong-willed future lawyer who lives in my home and calls me mommy) need to lose privileges.
  • You’re the mom. You call the shots. 
  • Perhaps she/she needs more hands on projects, real life learning experiences, and self-directed learning opportunities, the very things that a government school system will not and cannot provide.

Turning a Child’s Passion/Interest into a Student-Lead Learning Opportunity

Every student will be different. The key to getting them to reveal their heart’s passion is to spend quality time listening to them chatter about life.

My son and I are walking rain or shine 3-4 days a week. We’ve spent AMAZING amounts of time together just chatting away 3-4 miles of exercise.

On the third week of our new routine he said, “Hey mom, I think I’ve decided what I want to be when I grow up.”

“Really?” I replied. “Tell me!”

“A Cardio-thoratic Surgeon.”

We spent the next 2 miles chatting about what this 14-year old can do to prepare himself for a deep study of this specialized area of medicine.

Goal: To help Students identify a goal, do research, make a plan, and achieve a measurable benchmark

10 Steps to Design a Student Lead Project

  1. Listen! Spend quality time with kids LISTENING
  2. Ask open-ended questions
  3. Identify a passion/interest
  4. “How can I help you learn more about that?”
  5. Set other academics aside to make space. “How about we push some of your school aside to let you dive deeper into that?”
  6. Give them a buffet of project options: PowerPoint Presentation, Lapbook, Flipbook, food feast, arts and craft, essay, notebook, dance, YouTube Channel, Blog, speech, etc
  7. Let the Student pick a project
  8. Plan it out together (bite sized pieces)
  9. Give student 2-10 hours a week
  10. YOU: Be an enthusiastic LISTENER

Yes. This takes time.

Related: 40 Creating Writing Projects for Kids who HATE pencils.

The beautiful side effect is that your student will be enthusiastic and eager to learn. You’ll watch them research, design, and apply what they’re learning and they will be gushing with pride of accomplishment.

Classes for Passion Projects

Yes, These can count as High School Credit!

PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER.

This post comes with a free printable list to help lead your child to design their own plan.

Here is a sneak preview…

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE

  1. Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
  2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
  3. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
the homeschool mom

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