Teens are a quirky bunch. One minute your heart is filled with so much love it hurts, the next you want to wring their neck. Hey, at least they’re never boring, right? But man, sometimes it seems like homeschooling teenagers is a really big challenge.
On this page I’ve compiled links to all of my articles, podcast episodes, and resources about how to handle all kinds of issues that come up during the course of homeschooling your teen. I’ve divided them into two sections: first, issues that are specific to homeschooling; and second, those teen issues that are more about general parenting, so that even non-homeschooling peeps could read these articles and be encouraged by them.
Scroll down to get to each section, or use the quick links in the above paragraph.
Everything listed below has been borne out of my own experience homeschooling five teenagers, all of whom have now graduated. You’ll see as you read and/or listen that I am far from perfect in this area, LOL. But frankly, it has always helped me to know that I’m not alone in my frustration and fear. Hopefully these articles will help YOU know that, too.
I still maintain, even when dealing with issues that arise when homeschooling teenagers, that EVERY mom can do this homeschool high school thing and feel confident and competent — and (mostly) content! Some days are more difficult than others, to be sure, but the linked content on this page will give you strategies you can use to minimize the conflict.
P.S. If you need more help with your relationship to your teen, my Save Your Sanity book has an entire chapter about how to keep communication lines open (or repair them):
Save Your Sanity While Homeschooling High School: Practical Principles for a Firm Foundation
Save Your Sanity is an encouraging resource to inspire and empower you at any stage of homeschooling high school. Ann's relatable style and no-nonsense advice will ease the pressure and give you confidence to get started -- or keep going! ...
Feel free to browse this page to your heart’s content! Pinning it is always an option, too, so you can come back to it easily later.
Issues Specific to Homeschooling Teenagers
If you are homeschooling your teen, you will most likely deal with most of these issues or concerns at some point along the way. They are all very common! You are not alone!
Opportunities My Teens are Missing Because We Homeschool High School
I will freely admit that our children have missed out on some things because we homeschool high school. There is no doubt that there are experiences that the public school ...
What Can I Do With My Art Student for College? Discover Excelsior Classes **Podcast Show Notes: Not That Hard to Homeschool High School****Episode: "What Can I Do With My Art ...
The Pros and Cons of Using AI in Homeschooling As homeschooling continues to gain popularity, more and more parents are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance ...
Did you grow up dreading tests? I know I did. The very word can be intimidating! And while tests are a natural part of life, learning how to assess in ...
Are you familiar with the typical course of study for high school students? It’s critical information you should have so that you can design an effective course of study for ...
Overview: Guest Contributor Lynna Sutherland shares strategies to help a teen with time blindness, so they can be more productive and confident as they homeschool. As our kids work their ...
Overview: Julie Polanco from Julie Naturally knows first-hand about homeschooling special needs high school, and her advice is super helpful! I'm glad she is willing to share it with us! ...
Overview: Guest contributor Lynna Sutherland is a veteran large-family mom who is amazing at keeping things organized and stress-free. Here she shares step-by-step instructions for using Google Calendar with your ...
You can find lists of affirmations for teens on the internet, but isn't the best affirmation not a sentence they repeat to themselves but something sincere that is said by ...
Overview: Guest contributor Lynna Sutherland from Your Large Family Homeschool has wise counsel for when you've outsourced a homeschool class for your teen, and it's not going well. There is ...
Overview: Guest contributor Sara Dennis from Classically Homeschooling walks us through creating the perfect high school homeschool schedule, so you and your teen can work together smoothly and get ‘er ...
Overview: Almost every teen needs help to catch up in homeschool fast at one time or another. Here's how to make it happen! I will bet you 20 cents that ...
Note: Contributing writer Destiny Mawson shares her knowledge about starting a teen homeschool co-op, which may be a great solution for your homeschool high school journey. For a further resource ...
Woo howdy, it can be hard to know how to have patience when you are with your ornery teen all day erry day like we homeschoolers are! If you've ever ...
Are you in the "let 'em sleep" camp or the "we gotta get started on school by 9am" camp? You might guess from the title of this episode that I'm ...
Sometimes homeschooling high school doesn't look the way we thought it would, because our teen cannot work on their own. They can't learn independently, and mom has to be with ...
Nothing is as frustrating as when your homeschooler refuses to work. You beg. You Nag. And you despair. Will your child ever be able to go to college and enjoy ...
Overview: Teaching teens to plan is a vital task that helps them AND you. Here are the steps to take to make this a reality in your homeschool. Teaching teens ...
Overview: Taking a gap year is a great idea -- listen for reasons why to do so, things to look out for, and gap year ideas! Homeschoolers are often interested ...
This question gets asked all the time: can we use the teen's job outside the home for homeschool credit? In this podcast episode, I answer that one and many more ...
Overview: Is college the best option for your teen? Evaluate these indicators in order to make a fully-informed decision. We outright told our fourth kid he was definitely NOT going ...
Overview: "Should I go to college?" is a common question for a teen -- and for their parents. Use these thoughts to help decide if it's a good fit for ...
I had a conversation with my last remaining teen and discovered what KILLS her motivation to do schoolwork or stay on top of whatever else I wish she would stay ...
Has Covid-19 caused you to rethink your educational plan and bring your kid home for school? Has your public school system gone to online schooling? Are you wondering what this ...
The relationship between teens and time seems to be a rather fluid one, LOL. In other words, teens tend to let time flow right through their fingers and then wonder ...
UGH, this is the worst thing, but we've all been there. If you haven't yet, you will. Or you're perfect. Or your teen is perfect. So you pick which one ...
Overview: Your teen hates homeschooling high school, and no one is happy. In this heartfelt article, a mom who has been there shares insightful ideas for getting you through. "Uuuuuuuugggggggghhhhhh!! ...
Overview: Homeschool socialization doesn't have to be any more of a thing in high school than it is at any other age. Here are 100 ways to make it happen! ...
Overview: The seemingly far-reaching ramifications when your homeschooled teen is behind can be very scary. I'm here to reassure you that it will truly all work out! One of the ...
Overview: Motivating teens can be a challenge, especially when they're homeschooled. These ten tried-and-true tips can transform your homeschool day! I had one who would fill the margins of her ...
I am a person who is easily distracted, y'all. Even just now, sitting down to write this post, I spent ten minutes cruising Facebook because something caught my eye. And ...
Overview: Are you wondering if your boy's maturity level will affect his academics in high school? Read what I've learned from homeschooling my son over the years. We are a ...
Parenting Teens in General
These issues aren’t limited to homeschooled teens but are common to teenagers everywhere, no matter the method of educcation. Be encouraged — you’re in this with the rest of us!
How to Deal with Teenagers: Arrogance and Disrespect
"Well, just enjoy knowing everything now, because pretty soon you'll realize you're just as stupid as we are!!" said one father to his teenager. (No, this didn't actually originally happen ...
Consideration for others ought to be a no-brainer as something to teach kids, but in this day and age, it seems not to be. Our teens may need some reminders ...
Grace is one of those things we all love to get but is often hard to give -- especially to our teens. We know it's our last chance to instruct ...
Overview: Structure and rules for teens should not be given up completely. Learn how to apply them in order to develop responsibility and security in your teen. Yes, teens are ...
When you want to teach something, you need to demonstrate it. Want to know how to teach a teenager respect? One of the best ways to do it is to ...
Overview: Guest Contributor Lynna Sutherland of Your Large Family Homeschool has great advice for growing time management for teens. It's about finding the balance between flexibility and accountability. Read on! ...
In today's episode with guest podcaster Dachelle from Hide the Chocolate and Literary Adventures for Kids, we are treated to a humorous look at how teenage hormones affect homeschooling high ...
Communicating with teenagers isn't always easy. In order for homeschooling high school to go smoothly, it's important to have a stable communication pattern with your teen, so you can discuss ...
It can be hard to know how much to loosen the reins for your teen. When are you being too controlling? When are you not giving enough structure? The balance ...
Having a teenager in your house is hard sometimes. The teens want independence, yet they still need a strong relationship with their parents. It’s up to you to build the ...
Sometimes our homeschooled teen startles us by disagreeing about something we think is fundamental, or doing something that we're not sure we can support. Try not to freak out. Hear ...
Overview: Not just 10 or 20 but ONE HUNDRED ways you can encourage teens by word or deed. Parenting teens can be tricky; these tips and quotes are expert advice! ...
Overview: Teaching diligence to your teen can be a challenge. You are not alone! Read a veteran homeschool mom's advice about how to deal with it. "Son, what did you ...
As the Christmas season approaches, and I begin to make my lists and check them twice, I am reminded anew of a truth universally acknowledged: kids get more expensive as ...
Overview: The transition from homeschool family life to college independence can be scary. Help prepare your teen with these ideas. Two of my high-schoolers left on Friday for a week ...
