Owl Weaknesses

The same qualities of wanting to do it right cause the Owl mom to focus on her own inadequacies and limitations making her easily overwhelmed by all that “conviction” demands. She tends to worry about…everything. She doubts her motives and her abilities and questions herself and the direction she is going. She’s pretty convinced she’s ruining her children…and is often upset because her kids don’t seem more thoughtful, spiritual, or mature. Comparison is her downfall, and she wonders if someone else could do a better job schooling her children.

Owl Homeschooling Tips

An Owl needs to remember: God made you smart enough to homeschool your children…there is no perfect curriculum, mother, child, or family.

• Put your blinders on. Stay off social media, and don’t worry about what others are doing or saying.
• Cut yourself some slack. If God wanted you to be perfect, He would have made you perfect.
• Don’t compare your weaknesses against others’ strengths.
• Once you’ve picked your curriculum…stop looking unless you all absolutely hate it.
• Pick a Facebook group, co-op, or friend who will back you up for your reasons in homeschooling.
• Choose a curriculum that does NOT have a lot of busywork. It should feel purposeful, impacting, and necessary. If on first look it doesn’t, then avoid it. You’ll want a flexible curriculum that explains the why behind the things they offer. Chose one based on like-minded philosophy and Biblical worldview and one that explains it clearly. You’re probably not going to like the one that has lots of quizzes, tests, or homework.

Falcon Weaknesses

The same great traits that help a Falcon stay on track and accomplish a lot can also cause her to be rigid and inflexible when it comes to school, forgetting to make allowances for life’s interruptions. To her the plan is everything, and even if she feels there might be a better way to do school, she is afraid to change her course, her plan, or her curriculum. On the weekends, you will often find the Falcon preparing for school, grading school work, or having her children catch up wherever they might be behind. This mom tends to plow on regardless of attitudes or resistance from her children, sometimes leaving her children resentful or hating homeschooling. The Falcon can often be frustrated with her non-falcon children, thinking they are lazy or unmotivated. The Falcon’s emphasis on good grades, often prioritizes grades over actual learning.

Falcon Homeschooling Tips

A Falcon needs to remember: Relationships are more important than school and achievement.

• Conviction is great, plans are great…but LIFE ebbs and flows and plans change.
• You like planning so use this strength to your advantage by planning things that don’t come naturally or easily for you (like fun days, birthdays, holidays, snow days, and lots of little breaks.)
• Assess your plan each semester (or monthly) and be willing to change if it is not going well.
• Talk to your kids and husband and seek others’ opinions in planning. Trust them, not your falcon-side.
• Give yourself permission to skip! It’s okay to skip questions/parts of the curriculum (decide to do every other problem or skip quizzes.) Trust your inner mom. If you think it’s dumb…skip it.
• A big box (all-in-one) curriculum may work best for you, but pick one that has built-in margin. Because you’re a completer, choose a curriculum that doesn’t ask too much of you. Schedule a 4-day week instead of a 5-day week and choose a curriculum that has shorter lessons, fewer questions, and limited quizzes and tests. If it offers self-grading (because you like grades)…that’s a plus.

Sandpiper Weaknesses

The Sandpiper can be tossed about like the waves of the sea. She doesn’t always count the cost and has a ton of fun but worries if she’s doing enough. Although she is typified by a flourish of activity, she may not get a lot done and is seemingly always behind. The Sandpiper mom often fears that her kids are behind and deficient so she changes curriculum yet again, always looking for the magic curriculum…teacher…method. Sandpipers start strong, but don’t always make it to the end of the homeschooling race and may believe that “putting them in school” is best for everyone.

Sandpiper Homeschooling Tips

A Sandpiper needs to remember: God gave your children just the mom they need.

• You don’t have to be like the falcon, owl, or swan to be an amazing homeschooling mom so don’t compare yourself to them. BTW, they wish they were more like YOU!
• Stay off of Facebook and Instagram.
• Make your motto: “The grass is NOT greener on the other side of the homeschool fence and there is NO easy answer to homeschooling or parenting. Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint.” So put away the notion that there is some perfect curriculum or plan just waiting for you to find it.
• Find a good homeschooling friend to help keep you on track.
• Never beat yourself up for thinking you’re behind (it’s a lie).
• Choose a grab-and-go curriculum that is self-contained and self-pacing…like video lessons, online learning, an open&go workbook, or an in-person co-op. Don’t pick ANYTHING that demands a lot of prep. Plan for a short attention span, with short lessons, short units, and short everything else. Don’t spend a lot on curriculum because chances are you’re going to tire of it and switch or simply not finish it.
• You need variety so PLAN to switch things up every six weeks, semester, or year.

Swan Weaknesses

Because the Swan serenely glides through homeschooling as she does through life, she often views homeschooling as just another option…and is open to other schooling options if something better comes her way. The Swan mom sometimes struggles in knowing the reasons behind her decision to homeschool and may lack conviction, causing her to give up when the going gets tough or if it feels too hard. That time often hits around high school, which can be when she puts her child into a “better” school setting.

Swan Homeschooling Tips

A Swan needs to remember: Homeschooling is the best option for your children!

• A Swan mom needs her husband and friends to remind her of the benefits of homeschooling.
• Make sure you haven’t bitten off more than your WHOLE family can chew. Just because you can do everything doesn’t mean you should.
• Be critical when you look at what a curriculum covers. Is it necessary? Will they use it later? Is it just a bunch of busywork?
• Choose a curriculum that instills conviction and allows you to see the beauty of homeschooling. You might choose an open-and-go curriculum, one that doesn’t demand a lot of preparation and one that offers a 4-day schedule instead of five. Or, you might consider video or online resources.