January 1, 2025 – New Year’s Resolutions for the Homeschool

Mercy Every Minute

Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor

What Keeps You Going?

When trouble hits your homeschool, what keeps you going? When you feel like quitting after the second child cries over doing their math problems, what keeps you going? How about when the kids are not being kind to each other or are treating you with disrespect—again? Or when you have no energy because the baby was up most of the night and now the toddler is throwing a tantrum. Do you give up or keep going? How about failed jobs, tough finances, illness, or a death in the family? We must have a reason to keep these kids home through all of this. 

A resolution is a foundation to stand on when the storms come. It’s what keeps us grounded in this homeschool life. Where do we find this resolve? It must be found in Christ alone, and the power behind a resolve is His Word. When we base all that we do on the Word of God, we find stability. We see in His Word, that He is our Keeper. He is our Preserver. He is our Help. He is our Counselor. He cares for us and provides safety, security, and wisdom—and we find our resolve to keep going. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines the word resolution:  

RESOLUTION: Fixed purpose or determination of mind; as a resolution to reform our lives; a resolution to undertake an expedition. The effect of fixed purpose; firmness, steadiness or constancy in execution, implying courage. 

Homeschooling often requires courage in hardship or seeming failure. Courage to bear through difficulties to the end. The only way to find this kind of courage is to dig ourselves out of our own thinking and become buried deep in the Word of God. 

Psalm 31:24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

Psalm 119:112 “I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes Alway, even unto the end.”

God is resolved to keep and to preserve you, as you keep His children Home. Where They Belong.

~Deborah

dwuehler@theoldschoolhouse.com

When we think of New Year’s resolutions in homeschooling, we often say, “I will do more art this coming year.” Art is the subject that suffers the most in the academic schedule. Many times it is the first to be cut when time runs short in the school day.

Communication is becoming more visual, pulling our children into a web of games and fascinating images that captivate their imaginations. Therefore, art should be one of the most important subjects of the school day. Learning to put things together visually using the elements and principles of art enhances visual communication in all of the core subjects. 

Offering more art instruction allows students to experience true creativity and invention. Instead of having someone else’s ideas influencing them, a good art project allows room for originality, creativity, and invention and shows students how to captivate and influence others with their own ideas. The best way to teach visual and kinesthetic learners is to incorporate hands-on activities with art. A trip to an art museum provides a wonderful opportunity for students to experience history and culture. Instead of the field trip we take only if we have time, let’s put it first in the new year.

For your creatively gifted young people, creating and being original is like breathing. Letting them use their gifting and passion with excellence can change the world for the better.

Let’s make a resolution to put art in a prominent place in the school year ahead.  

Roger Smith

What About Next Year?

Nothing improves without change!

I hate change! But I love progress. Too bad they go together.

So, what are you going to change to make the second half of the school year better? Please don’t say, “I’m gonna try harder. I’m gonna be more consistent.” 

If you and the kids loved what you are doing, you’d be doing it! So, try something new, like playing outside, doing secret service projects in the neighborhood to create a “mystery,” exchanging roles and letting the kids be the teacher for a week.

“But, won’t we be falling behind?!” you say.

Get real! Schools take days off for homecoming, assemblies, memorials, bad weather, and holidays. And no one worries about falling behind. Lighten up and learn something a different way.

Along the way, smile at your kids, spouse, and neighbors, and enjoy the process, because “the days are long, but the years are short.” (And the kids have the rest of their lives to learn school stuff—just like you).

About the author

Dr. Roger Smith is a family doctor in rural Louisiana, where he and his wife, Jan, raised four adventurous children who are all grown, making their own mark in the world. He speaks and writes on parenting issues and produces brief videos that can be found on Facebook @ParentingMattersNow.

Join Kathy Hutto on YouTube: Christian content creator sharing devotions, FREE homeschool resources, and inspiring Bible lessons for kids & families at YouTube@kathyhutto.

Alexandria Letkeman

New Year, Same Old Me

With the new year, I am caught in that familiar imbalance of excitement and apprehension. Social media is my worst enemy this time of year. I see Pinterest-perfect organizational systems, and discover tons of planning templates, all urging me to be more and promising to transform our homeschool into a seamless, magical experience.

I’m here to remind you to take a deep breath. You are enough, just as you are.

This year, instead of writing out that long list of transformative resolutions, let’s you and I try a gentler approach. Yes, we can set goals and seek improvement, but not at the cost of our peace or self-worth. Every small step matters, and perfection is not the destination.

Maybe you’re aiming to be more consistent with math or include more hands-on science experiments. Maybe you’re hoping to implement structured routines or explore new homeschool approaches. These goals are excellent, but we have to remember that learning happens in the most unexpected moments. Some lessons will be academic, but the most profound teachings often transcend textbooks—patience, resilience, curiosity, and compassion.

This reminder is as much for me as for you: our children don’t need a superhuman parent who has everything figured out. They need you—authentic, present, and loving. Some days will feel like a masterclass in patience, while others will flow with unexpected joy and discovery. Both are equally valuable.

Consider setting just one or two intentional goals for the second half of your school year. Maybe that’s dedicating 15 minutes in the morning to connect to your teens or exploring a new subject that sparks curiosity. But don’t let these goals become weapons of self-criticism.

So, here’s to the new year: to progress without pressure, to learning without judgment, and to embracing ourselves exactly as we are—imperfectly perfect.

About the author

Alexandria Letkeman began homeschooling with her family in middle school and has recently graduated with honors in 2020. Together with her husband, she has developed a passion for financial literacy, classical writing, and the freedom that homeschooling provides. In pursuit of those passions, she and her husband aim to continue the legacy of The HomeScholar and continue helping homeschool parents homeschool with confidence. One day, Alex plans to start a homesteading farm in Texas featuring mini cows.

Beth Mora

A New School Year Revolution

When one of my sons was young, he renamed New Year’s Resolutions—New Year’s Revolutions! It seemed fitting. In some areas, we need a personal revolution to take back what has slipped away, and homeschooling is one of those areas that can get cluttered with the “should haves, would haves, and could haves.” January is the perfect time to push away the past and tap the restart button.

However, January’s resolutions are much different from September’s school start. September is filled with noble academic goals, which wane compared to what matters when days are shorter and light fades faster. We learn that family matters, friendships matter, and eternal things matter.

So pour a hot cup of something and get a piece of paper, and let’s brainstorm homeschool resolutions that matter.

Beautiful you:

I will sit silently for 15 minutes daily with Jesus and read His word.
I will read a book that is “my grade level ” and not on a curriculum list.
I will take a warm bath for enjoyment.

Your handsome husband:

I will plan a fun date with my man at least once a month.
I will write him a thank‑you note for all he does to love our family.
I will serve him his favorite drink when he arrives home.

Your awesome children:

I will make snow angels with my children.
I will cancel “school” once a month and make cookies and hot chocolate.
I will ask them how to pray for them and share my prayer requests.

Your friends:

I will call (not text) an old friend once a month.
I will make a coffee/tea date with a friend or neighbor.
I will pray to find a new friend this year.

There are so many more ideas that can be added to this brainstorming! However, please don’t be overwhelmed. Pick one from each category, breathe in God’s strength, and exhale calm action.

Small, intentional kindnesses lead to big-time personal revolutions. Please don’t let Satan fool you into thinking small things don’t matter; they do. They make the most significant eternal differences. It’s time for a homeschool New Year’s revolution!

About the author

Beth Mora is a staff writer for The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC and lesson designer for www.Schoolhouseteachers.com. She is the creator/teacher-on-camera for Here to Help Learning’s Homeschool Writing Program Grades 1-6, and a homeschool conference and women’s events speaker. Meet up with Beth at Home To Home, one of her favorite places to encourage. Everything she does, whether laughable or heart-gripping, is done to honor her Lord and Savior, Jesus. God’s grace is the salve that has healed her own life and is what she offers liberally to others.

Are you looking for a way to dive deeply into God’s Word? Going Deeper: Exploring God’s Word on SchoolhouseTeachers.com allows you to explore God’s Word through Bible reading and fascinating videos that explore all four Gospels, the book of Romans, and more! You will examine God’s unbreakable promises and find out more about how everything in the Bible points to Jesus. Included in this course is a personalized creative Bible research project drawn from your interests and Bible questions. Start the new year off with insight that will strengthen your faith and expand your understanding of the Bible.