Yes… Pam’s “Autopilot” course is fabulous and a bargain because you can use it every year! This is my 3rd year with it and it’s been life-changing! I call it “Planning with Pam” 🥰 It is a wonderful way to organize your own homeschool, your way. Pam does an outstanding job coaching without telling us *exactly* what to do. She just walks you through the steps and you do it how you like it. You can also skip a step as needed and come back to it later. It’s very flexible and do-able.

I am so excited to see Citizenship Together!

I love that - homeschooling methods are just a tool, what works best for your family has to come first, and don’t let the methods other families are using become a way to look down on others (or feel bad about yourself)

Lmao why am I watching this, I’m Non-Christian, against unschooling, person with no kids. Why did KZfaq recommend this. Good video tho, your video has great quality and is very professional

Thanks Pam! Going on our 6th year of homeschooling and love all you pour into homeschooling, without adding stress to my mess! We got side tracked into a certain popular homeschool philosophy that my kids ended up not liking at all, so circling back to their interests and doing less lesson planning myself. Refocusing on our vision and our why was very helpful. Truly appreciate all you do.

Thank you for this video. I have been feeling overwhelmed lately with all the different homeschool methods lately. Your perspective is refreshing!

My biggest frustration with the homeschool community I see is this desire to duplicate government schools via co-ops. It’s really sad that so many cannot get away from the brainwashing that has convinced them that learning is only done in a “school” way. Also no you do not want government funds, that will just come with strings attached. It’s not school “lite” it’s home education and there is and should be a big difference.

I refer to our homeschooling as eclectic schooling🙂

3 years.. that’s good news for me!! Going on our 4th year and these last 3 have been very rough trying to fight against schoolish mindset and CM in the wrong way.

Lord , give me the grace to homeschool my teen son, that his dad approves it snd undertands its the best choice . Please .

Spot on! I’m a college professor in NYC who also homeschools and I’ve met so many working parents who are homeschooling! Thanks for this video

I was public schooled my whole life so I was shocked to find there were so many philosophies and then I was shocked to find how many have a sort of culture to them. Also people who can be very judgemental about what curriculumor philosophy you lean towards. I specifically don't say what curriculum or philosophy I like or use until I feel comfortable with someone.

Wow. Insightful. I definitely saw a few of these come up in the community this week.

These observations are SO insightful. Our co-op and local homeschool group has changed so much over the years, and I keep trying to nail down why. I think this potpourri of changes in the overall homeschool culture are exactly what is going on, and speaks well to what folks are looking for these days. Thank you for articulating this so thoughtfully & clearly.

I am one of the newer homeschoolers. After my son had to be home we realized how much he was just being pushed through. He has special needs and was in an "exceptional children's" class in public school since pre K. He is extremely smart but due to his sensory needs and being selectively mute was being placed in a classroom with children of all different types of abilities. Subsequent to the pandemic and him being sent different "packets" and meeting with his teacher online we realized he was being taught at a kindergarten level when he was technically in 4th grade. That just completely blew my mind! Still does! They were teaching a very intelligent and capable 4th grader kindergarten lessons because of the type of class he was in! I know that some of those children were at that level but some obviously were not including my son. Now of course i dont think he was always being taught at such a lower grade level as in the beginning of his public school career we did have some veey amazing teachers. However we had always noticed he was not being given work that really met his intelligence level especially the higher the grade level. Anyway short story long, I have found it difficult even after 4 years of homeschooling to step away from the scheduling and planning as if he were still in public school. Any more tips on how lean into a more organic style of homeschooling?

Overwhelmed Olivia but also best intentions Becky and I try to be a little strategic sally, but Olivia peeps her head out 😂😂

We just finished our official first year homeschooling. We had a rocky start with the passing of my mother in law but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we got just the essentials done. I mean one hour and we were done with “school work”.

I am definitely a combo of Best Intentions Becky (because I love seeing and buying and dreaming of using all the pretty curriculum) and Overwhelmed Olivia because I can't keep up, barely keeping my head above water, and have to cut out half of what I planned.

I am one of the covid homeschoolers and I can report that the purists are alive and well and will scold you if you step one toe out of the CM method. (I love CM by the way, but my kid needs spelling help and I might not have 12 years to homeschool and hope that my child learns to spell just from dictation... You get the idea.) I'm just one data point, but I over-research curriculum to the point that borders on time-wasting because I want to see it ALL 😬 I also view curriculum programs as just the "spine" to which I can add or subtract anything I want.

Right now, we're using just a notebook and writing down each day the assignments. I need to start tracking books read, piano lessons and recitals, his Greek lessons and pottery facilitated by others. Your videos are SO helpful. I've been feeling pretty lost and overwhelmed. Money is not in abundance so thrifty homeschooling is a necessity.

I was JUST telling my friend that I wanted to step away from all the philosophies because they were a burden on my mind and start focusing on which curriculum I really want that crosses my t's and dots my i's. I was so split between Classical and Charlotte Mason, which each contain wonderful practices, but have a lot of purists pulling a tired mom one way or the other stating that they are the best. I lean on the fact that I was educated with PACES and other traditional textbooks and my success was more about our attitude toward learning and our focus on Godly habits then it was on the method.

We just completed our 5th year. Started the July of 2019. When I started I just wanted an open and go type curriculum to make sure we "covered everything". I researched curriculum. I never research the different methodologies. Over the years we have changed things. I put together our own courses for a few subjects. It feels pretty rewarding. My oldest is a 10th grader now. For instance my daughter loves everything equine. So I have created a thorough Equine Science course that she will take each year of high school. I love the flexibility we have and that my children are learning so much better at home!

Pam, thank you so much for this! I don't know if you know that I'm homeschooling again - my new husband's 2 youngest. I searched "how to enforce schedule homeschooling high school", and your video (and face) was the FIRST to pop up. Just the encouragement I needed, thank you so much!

Argh the music is sooo annoying and loud!

Thanks

My word, my name is Becky! 😮

I would agree with that 3-year assessment. Give or take a bit depending on one's situation. We are just finishing up year 5 and though anxiety occasionally hits, our systems are flowing and the kids are doing well. BUT there were some real mistakes those first few years. Yikes! Some things, like you said, just take time to learn.

I’m all of those mums 😅

Thank you for this conversation! Awesome! I first "met" Ashley in 2017 when she was instilling so much wisdom with Jennifer Dow on a podcast series that I cannot find anymore 🙁. Are you familiar with it Pam? I would love to re-visit the talks as they were my "coming through the wardrobe" moment.

I am mostly an overwhelmed Olivia!! I am undiagnosed, but sure, myslef (and at least one of my children) have adhd. I love plans... but i can never seem to stick to them for more than a week - it's awful and discouraging. I constantly feel like a failure and i don't want to pass that on to my kids... but that's what I sometimes and I'm so sad about that! I crave structure but have SO little implementation power. HELP!

How can this be implemented when you belong to a co-op that has assignments due weekly?

Betsy and Susan mix here!

I’m excited to implement this kind of plan!

I am definitely overwhelmed Olivia!! 😔

A combination of all 4. Hot mess ADHD mom here.

I remember the chaos when my kids were younger and I didn’t know how to balance being consistent with fun, spontaneity

This is EXACTLY how I’ve learned to plan for us!! We have our weekly list of how much we want to get done in the week, and work from there, and we can be flexible between the activities we have going on in the week. Dated grids are my enemy 😬😬😬 I absolutely cannot work from them 😂

The Auto Pilot Program you created Pam is so beneficial. This past school year really ran on autopilot because of the systems I put in place and the planning I did through the course. ❤❤❤

❤❤

Definitely NOT a care-free Cathy!!! 😂😂😂

Hmmm... I saw myself in quite a few of the "moms" but I am definitely a "Best Intention Becky" This is such great advice! ♥

I like this kind of information because I can actually implement it. I also love love love the way you broke down each type of homeschool mom and how these types will fit for that type.❤🙌🏾

This is so basic. How do you homeschool a child with autism. Someone please answer that

100% strategic Sally. The second summer starts, I am planning planning planning. I have set my hours for each subject next year. I am very OCD in my homeschooling, it's frustrating sometimes. I am a Carefree Cathy wannabe. 😂

Denise is incredible. you can sense her gentleness, passion, and brilliance for sharing the love of math.

Best intentions Becky with a little Overwhelmed Olivia on the side. 😊

Best Intentions Becky!

Becky+Cathy!

After a health scare last fall, I definitely feel like Overwhelmed Olivia. I worry that we didn't get enough done and I am failing my kid. 😟

Overwhelmed Olivia fits me to a T with a Best-intentioned Becky as a supporter because I won't switch curricula once I've spent money on it.