Help! When it’s a New Homeschool Year and You’re Already Behind

Feeling overwhelmed? Help! When it’s a new homeschool year and you’re already behind.

Help! When it’s a New Homeschool Year and You’re Already Behind

Sometimes life happens and a homeschool family gets off to a rough start. Maybe it’s because:

• You didn’t get everything done last year
• Someone is sick or there has been an unexpected turn of events
• We way overshot when creating our goals and you see that now
• Or something else!

Nevertheless, high school academics MUST happen because graduation NEEDS to happen. Here’s how to dig out of the hole:

Step One-Half: This short guide may help. Do it now!

We love to help with our downloadable resources. You and your family matter. This little guide will help you remember that. Not only that it will encourage you as your recalibrate. Hang in there!

Help! When It’s a New Homeschool Year and You’re Already Behind

Step One: Prayer! (First, last and always!)

You already know this, but prayer helps. If nothing else it helps you remember that where you are weak, God will be strong on your behalf. Also, be kind and gracious towards yourself as you pray.

Step Two: Start asking yourself: How behind are we really? Be honest with yourself.

Write it down…you might not be as behind as you think. However, even if you are way behind, write it down. Not as a condemnation of yourself as your teens but as a simple “get out of denial” process. Be kind to yourself and your homeschool high schoolers. Grace matters.

Step Three: Evaluate the circumstances that got you where you are?

• Big things, bad things happened?
• Personal character glitches that God wants to work on?
• Bad attitudes? (You or your homeschool high schoolers?)
• Co-op didn’t work out?

Step Four: Talk to your teen about it.

You need his/her buy-in for making changes to their homeschool high school. Here’s a Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode that can help.

Step Five: Brain dump this year.

Sit down with a pen and paper and write down everything on your mind about this year’s homeschool high school.

• No judgement, just get everything out!

Step 6: Pray again. Ask God’s help with creating a plan for this year.

• Write out your long-term goals (goals for when your teen graduates).
• Write out your one-year goal for this year.
• If you don’t write out your goals, you goals are not achievable!
• Here’s a post with help for goal-writing.

Help! When It’s a New Homeschool Year and You’re Already Behind, let’s get moving to a plan:

When you have a plan, you can do almost anything! Be encouraged!

Step 7: Create a plan.

• What must be done for the homeschool transcript?
  • What’s already been done? Is there anything you didn’t get around to recording?

• Next: What must happen this year in order to meet the transcript goals?
• What core academics must be done this year?
• Follow with: What must be done to earn the credits for each of those core academics this year?
  • Ask yourself if you can double up on some credit hours? (labs keyed to field trips for other courses, for instance)
  • Level down: Don’t go for honors in courses that are behind. Listen to this episode of Homeschool Highschool Podcast about how levels work in 7Sisters curriculum.
  •  Skip assignments or test out of chapters where your teen already knows the material.
• Drop electives, if necessary, in order to get the core courses done.

Step 8: Ask yourself: How do we need to restructure in order to meet our goals?

• Are there extracurriculars or fun activities that must be dropped?
• Do you need to adjust the booklist? Use several audiobooks, find legit books that are short.
• Do you need to change curriculum.
  • Get something simpler.
  • Use online courses with live teachers.
• Does your teen need to drop his/her job?
• Hire a homeschool coach.

Worst case scenarios:

There’s NO way your teen can get everything done by the end of senior year. Face the fact that you will end up with a super-senior (not the best thing but if it must happen, it must happen).

Best case scenario:

Your teen catches up and you both are better people for it!

You CAN do this!

Watch this Facebook Live episode from Sabrina for more tips and encouragement AND  Help! I’m Drowning! What to do When You’re WAY Behind.

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Help! When it’s a New Homeschool Year and You’re Already Behind