How to Homeschool an Only Child

Are you homeschooling an only child? Or maybe you’re considering it, but friends and relatives have you worried that he or she won’t be properly “socialized” if you do. Perhaps you’re just not sure where to start or how to keep your child learning and engaged. If you find yourself in any of these situations–or if you’re just curious about how to homeschool an only child — these articles are for you!

how to homeschool an only child

To be honest, homeschooling an only child does present some challenges, but almost every choice in life comes with both benefits and drawbacks. Below,  you’ll find information about the challenges of homeschooling an only child, the advantages, and practical information to help you off to a successful start!

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Yes! There are some real advantages to homeschooling an only child. Among other things, it can be a great way to make sure your child gets a lot of great, personalized instruction, and it can also result in a very strong family relationships. Read the article below to learn about some of the pros  of homeschooling an only child.

Advantages of homeschooling only child

 

 

 

 

Advantages of Homeschooling an Only Child

And yes, there are some very unique challenges that come with the territory, too. Click below to learn about some of the challenges you might need to be prepared for when homeschooling an only child.

 

 

 

 

Challenges of Homeschooling an Only Child

“But how will he or she make friends? You don’t want your child to be unsocialized.”  Sound familiar? Here are some ideas for making sure the dreaded socialization/homeschooling myth does not affect your homeschooled only child.

 

 

 

 

Socializing the Only Child

This article shares one mom’s personal experiences homeschooling her only child. . .and the things she loves about it!

 

 

 

 

Benefits of Homeschooling an Only Child

Curriculum for one? Here’s how to make the most when choosing a homeschooling curriculum for your only child!

 

 

 

 

Choosing Curriculum for Your Only Child

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9 Comments

  1. This is great information as I homeschool an only child, my grandson while his mother works. There is a lot of loneliness on his part as their are no neighborhood kids and we have only one car and it is not possible for that to be in my possession as my daughter leaves for work at 4:30 am. Do you have any suggestions for a child in this situation who also has no dad in the picture nor has he ever.

    1. In a situation like yours, you probably need to find contact information for a local homeschool group. It could be that someone with a son about the age of your grandson would be willing to come by and pick him up (or pick both of you up) to attend parties, play days, or other events. Another solution would be to invite some of the local homeschoolers to come visit and play at your house. It’s wonderful that you’re willing to do this for your grandson!

  2. I have an only child that I plan to homeschool. She will be 3 soon and won’t be going to nursery school. She has no friends. We don’t get out to places a lot during the week, and she seems to not enjoy classes like dance lessons at this age. I must admit it has made me question whether school would be better for her to not be so lonely although right now she seems OK with just us and she always plays with other kids at the park so she isn’t shy that way

    1. Of course each family has to make the decision about whether homeschooling is right for you. If you decide homeschooling isn’t right for your daughter, then others should respect that decision. It’s still a couple of years before you have to make that decision, though, so you don’t necessarily have to decide right away. In the mean time, though, you might want to make an effort to go to the park more often if your daughter enjoys that and likes to play with the other children she meets there. You could also seek out local moms with young children through homeschool groups or church programs. You may be surprised at how many friends you and your daughter can make!

  3. Your information is great. My struggle is the friendship part. Not only are we homeschooling an only child but we are also missionaries in transition. I have heard a lot from my son how he does not get to have any friends. He I is in karate, volunteers at a nursing home, and goes to the ymca. I have noticed he is making friendships with twenty year old lifeguards as he is not around anyone to have as a friend.

    1. Thank you for your comment! I can’t imagine how difficult it must be as a missionary family to have friends and feel settled. Maybe it would be possible for him to get together with some of the other students in his karate class (after school hours if they all attend public school) or from the YMCA. I think it’s great that our homeschooled children are able to be friends with those who are older or younger than they are, though, depending on your son’s age, you may or may not want him becoming close friends with someone who is 20 years old. Are there any homeschool support groups in the area where you’ll be settling next?

  4. We are homeschooling and traveling around the USA in an RV with our only child. She will be turning 5 soon.

    I find that as long as my husband and I are friends to her and willing to be silly. Then she rarely begs for friends. She picks of random friend at the playground or RV park. But knows that they are only friends for the day.

    We let her FaceTime our family often.

  5. I am homeschooling my five-year-old son. He is extremely active and very headstrong. I also work two part-time jobs from home. This is very hard and he doesn’t make homeschooling easy sometimes. We wanted more children, but I am unsure if we will have any. We’ve already lost one. I struggle to play with my son throughout the day due to my jobs and other duties. All he wants to do is play! We don’t have friends. Not by choice. People are changing and not for the better. Kids don’t know how to play together anymore and moms don’t connect with me. Any advice?

    1. In most areas, there are homeschool co-ops, sports, church events, support groups, scouting programs, clubs, library groups, art classes, exercise classes, etc. available for homeschooled kids (and other kids). Some are during work hours and others are outside of work hours. You may have to (if possible) spend some time during the day taking your son to some activities and try doing some of your work outside of regular business hours. Or you may be able to hire a teenager (possibly a homeschooled teen) to take him to clubs, sports, activities, etc. Being a working, homeschooling mom is hard (I know! I’ve done it for many years), but it can be done. Sometimes you just have to look for creative ways to manage your time and get your child involved in activities with other kids.

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