When Your Child is Resisting Homeschool Work

We have all been there, your child is resisting homeschool work and it throws off your carefully planned schedule. There are a number of reasons why they might be refusing to do their work. And there are easy ways to keep learning even if you aren’t following your plans.

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When Your Child is Resisting Homeschool Work

There could be any number of reasons why your child is refusing to do their homeschool work. Sometimes, and what I have seen more often, is that they are struggling with a new concept that they are learning.

Your child could be resisting homeschool work because they are tired or feeling unwell. A late night or unrestful night can make for an unproductive day. Just think how you feel after not getting enough sleep.

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6 Tips for Dealing with A Child Resisting Homeschool Work

Resisting homeschool work is a common occurrence for children. Your child may not be ready to learn in a homeschool setting or may not be enjoying the material. Regardless of the reason, it is important to find a way to get your child engaged in their homeschool work.

Get to the Root of the Issue

Figure out why your child is refusing to do their homeschool work. It could be any number of reasons.

not understanding the lesson
not learning in the way they learn best – hands-on, visual learning, auditory learning style, kinesthetic learning style, etc.
learning/developmental issue

Don’t Be Afraid to Try Something New

I’ve found that my children’s learning styles, and learning preferences, change as they grow and develop. We have employed many different curriculums and teaching methods over the years. Once we find one that works with a child, we use them until it’s clear that it isn’t working anymore.

Include Their Interests

Is there something that your child cannot stop talking about? Right now for my 8-year-old, that’s Dinosaurs. Everything is dinosaurs. Is there a way that you can include their interests? When this kind of natural, child-led learning happens, “school” suddenly becomes easy and natural and maybe even fun.

There are unit studies that you can get to learn around their interest as well. So if your child is really into Harry Potter you could use the Wizards and Wands curriculum that makes you feel like you are at Hogwarts.

Throw Out the Teacher-Directed Lessons for a Day

There are many, many ways to teach a concept, and board games are a wonderful way to teach a child without lessons. Math concepts, counting money, logic, strategy, spelling, and vocabulary knowledge are just a few concepts that board games and card games can teach.

Don’t Take it Personally

Your child is not fighting against you personally when they don’t want to follow your plans. As homeschool moms, we assume all the good and the bad of our homeschooling and it can be hard to not take it all to heart.

Sometimes you need to take a step back and see that it is not an attack against you, but they need a change, a hug, a nap, etc.

Learn to Be Flexible

Instead of we have to get this done type of schedule, I suggest developing a learning rhythm that provides freedom within the daily learning structure. Living by a learning/homeschool rhythm instead of a forced routine also allows you to freely flow if things start to go sideways.

This is why I only plan in pencil, you can move things around. Or use digital planning where you can click, drag and drop lessons to another time slot or another day.

You are doing enough. You are being enough to them. They (and you) will get through this. Ride the waves, and navigate through the homeschooling waters. In the end, you won’t remember the bad days or the resisting ways of your child, but the good times you had, and the celebration at the end.