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Theodore Roosevelt said, “nothing worth having comes easy.” You probably already know that homeschooling is definitely not the easiest route your family could take to educating your child, especially boys. But, is it the best option for your child’s development and your family dynamics?
Consider what the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, “train up your child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Notice it did not say, train up your child in the way others go or in the way you want them to go. It says in way he should go. As parents we must assess our son on an individual level to determine how their training should look. Here you will find reasons to homeschool your boy(s). And from a mom of 3 very active boys, tips you can apply to your own homeschool environment to make it a success.
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Why homeschooling boys is an excellent option.
A quick disclaimer, I am speaking to the families who are currently homeschooling, or considering it, and are seeking help, insight, or inspiration on the homeschooling journey. Blessings to you and yours! Here we go…
Boys are energetic.
If you are the parent to a boy then you know just how active they are. My three boys keep me running from sunup to sun down. This is natural and good! It means they’re healthy. Homeschooling allows us to ask questions like, what if lessons can be completed in just a couple hours everyday allowing for more time to play? And what if those lessons can be tailored to your child’s needs on that specific day?
Homeschooling boys does allow the school day to be shorter. Our time spent doing lessons in our homeschool is only about 2-3 hours. That is for all 3 boys and most of my youngest’s lessons don’t even feel like lessons because they are so play based.
Also, every day and lesson can adapt to your child. What I mean by this is that we’re not beholden to a set schedule. The bell doesn’t ring dismissing us to our next period. Because of this freedom I can assess how each of my boys are doing at any given time and change our day’s rhythm up. For instance, I’m noticing a lot of wiggles at the end of a long writing lesson. I will move us out to the living room where I can read from our history textbook and let the boys be active but quiet.
The current education system is failing our young men.
This point goes back to my previous one, that boys are active and energetic. Asking boys to sit in a desk or be contained in a room, with little recess time five days a week is remiss of what they truly need to thrive. Their entire spirit and body needs to be tended if we want to nurture their brains.
The War Against Boys by Christina Hoff Sommers was the first time my eyes were opened to just how poor the current education system is set up to educate our boys. After reading this book I was completely convinced that my husband and I would be homeschooling.
There is freedom to homeschooling boys and girls in general.
Homeschooling in general has a lot of benefits whether we’re talking about boys or girls. I know I could have used more nurturing of my entire well-being with fresh air and movement throughout a day. But in general the freedom that homeschooling allows with a family’s time, extra-curriculars, socializing, and opportunities is unmatched.
Tips for homeschooling boys.
1. Establish a daily rhythm that works for your family.
Trial and error are key here. Some families swear by sitting down to lessons right away so as not to allow their boys to get distracted by another activity. However, in our home I can’t imagine sitting down to lessons until after my boys have had about an hour of free play and chores
I tried cranking lessons out right away after breakfast when we first started homeschooling. My thought was, how amazing it would be to have the school day done by 11AM! I quickly learned that our school day took much longer because I wasn’t allowing my boys to release energy before asking them to sit for lessons.
Maybe one day when the boys are older this will change, but for now allowing time for them to get their wiggles out is critical. My boys are also aware of the expectation to begin lessons soon after breakfast, if not immediately. Because of this they do a fairly good job of not starting a project or focusing on something that early in the morning because they know they’ll be pulled away.
No matter what you determine for your family, try to keep that rhythm consistent. By doing this your child will know what to expect. And when a child knows what to expect in their daily routine they are generally more cooperative.
2. Homeschooling boys with the Subject Priority Approach takes away all the stress.
Since developing this approach I have let go of a lot of stress when it comes to running our homeschool. I truly think it came out of frustration for trying to mimic other homeschooling families and my boys simply not being able to do it.
I have a whole post on how we structure our days based on priority, The Best Homeschool Schedule For Your Family, you can check it out by following the link. Everyday we do pretty much the same subjects and most days look similar. But with this approach it allows me to be flexible with our daily rhythm and know that we’re accomplishing what is important in our home while letting my boys enjoy who God made them.
3. Evaluate and adapt the length of lessons for homeschooling boys.
Some lessons take 5 minutes, others 30. The length of the lesson is based on how active the lesson allows my child to be. I can read about Ancient History for 20 minutes while my sons are tumbling around on the couch or balancing a block tower. And after 30 minutes my 6 year old can still summarize the Peloponnesian War.
I ask that same 6 year old to do a lesson in his math workbook and it’s like pulling teeth. To combat this I shorten his math lessons and break them up throughout the day. I will also split the textbook and workbook between days sometimes. It’s simply where he is developmentally.
4. Rethink what classroom time looks like.
This applies broadly to homeschooling boys. Mainly, remember that lessons are taking place in the comfort of your own home. You can switch up the setting if need be, break lessons apart throughout the day, and give your child options they wouldn’t have in school outside the home.
Practically this looks like trying new things by observing and experimenting based on your kiddo. For example, my son kept chewing the end of his pencil during math. He now chews gum while working on math problems. Can you imagine a teacher willingly handing a 6 year old gum in first grade?
Also, in this tip I need to mention play based learning. Science and art are easy subjects to implement play based learning. But don’t discount math or reading yet! All my boys have gone through or are currently in a free preschool curriculum that is entirely play based. Follow the link to learn more. Ultimately, you’re not restricted by trying to control a large number of kiddos so movement can be encouraged.
I also seek out other opportunities for practicing reading and math in a nonconventional way. For example, once a week all my boys get to read to their grandparents on video chat. This instills an importance and desire to want to develop reading skills in my younger sons because they want to do more than point and describe pictures. While my 6 year old reads a new chapter in a book series that is below or at his current reading level. This instills confidence and helps him to develop his reading speed.
5. Invest in quiet, hands on manipulatives when homeschooling boys.
These are necessary in our homeschool for a couple reasons. First, we do a lot of reading, reciting, and discussing. Also, I bounce between my boys and their lessons. They are not independent in their own studies yet. So when they are not receiving one-on-one time with me they can play quietly in the room with a toy or manipulative.
Some examples and favorites we have are a balancing block tower, busy books, and a wooden train set. You can also pick and choose from your child’s current toy selection and place them in a tub in the homeschool room. They’re only allowed to play with that specific toy during lessons. Standard coloring and activity books, similar to this, are also a great go to but I do find my boys need more variety. We also use printables like the Transportation Sorting pictured above.
6. Spend individual time with each son.
First, this does not look like only focusing on one kiddo while you help them complete their math lesson. Instead I have found that this individual time can be a reward for finishing their math lesson but it should be something that they enjoy that is not directly related to their studies.
Here are some examples. For my eldest, he loves stories. So after completing a math lesson, or even on days when we don’t do math, I will offer to read him a chapter from a book we’re currently reading aloud. He loves snuggling up next to me on the couch, or bouncing around, listening to the magical world of Harry Potter or the adventures of Bilbo Baggins.
I can definitely read with my middle son but it’s not exactly what fills his cup. If I want to fill his cup all I have to do is invite him into the kitchen to help me cook or bake. Then my youngest, who is still 3, does not need much. Usually, I will simply sit nearby as he plays and interacts with me as he wants. Or I will sing and hold him while rocking. As these three boys continue to grow I’ll have to reflect on what fills their cup. But ultimately you’re slowing down and reminding yourself, and your child, that the relationships are the most important.
Homeschooling boys will look different in every home.
Training your sons in the way they should go will look different in every home because every child and family is different. But that’s the beauty of homeschooling. I have more freedom to guide them based on their individual interests. Is it easy, no way! But by implementing some of these tips I hope you find more peace, joy, and success in your journey of homeschooling boys.
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