Have you ever stopped to consider what makes you unique? Businesses do it all the time. They spend extensive time and money on fine-tuning who they are and what their unique contribution is to the community around them. They call it marketing, but homeschoolers who do the same thing call it vision.
Not every family who homeschools begins the process with a clear sense of why they are doing what they are doing. Often, the process begins through a crisis or immediate need. Sometimes a particular situation comes about and without planning too far in advance, a family finds itself homeschooling. Then on the other hand, there are some families who have been homeschooling for years, or perhaps they knew that was going to be their choice before they ever even had children. In any of these cases, it is sometimes helpful to think of your homeschooling program much like a business and develop your unique philosophy.
Having a plan, or a vision, for your homeschool program allows you to stay focused and committed on what you are doing and why you are doing it. It also allows you to filter those things that might be interesting, but not necessarily good for your family. A vision for your homeschool program keeps the family intentional and unified.
Once you have a homeschool vision, and it can be in the form of a mission statement, list of core values, etc., then you should begin to teach your children the vision. If they have the opportunity to see the direction you are going, and the values that are important to your family, then they will have a much more solid foundation to stand upon when those days of frustration come around, as they do for every school child no matter where they go to school.
A homeschool vision statement is also something that an older student, such as the one who finds himself homeschooling out of a crisis or need, can participate in developing. It's the perfect opportunity to sit down with your child and assess the needs and desires while also addressing the situation that has brought you into this place.
So whether you call it marketing or vision, plan for your homeschool program with the intensity of a business entrepreneur whose financial success depends on it. Just like a business, your homeschool program depends on having a plan, a purpose, and a unified team supporting it!
Having a plan, or a vision, for your homeschool program allows you to stay focused and committed on what you are doing and why you are doing it. It also allows you to filter those things that might be interesting, but not necessarily good for your family. A vision for your homeschool program keeps the family intentional and unified.
Once you have a homeschool vision, and it can be in the form of a mission statement, list of core values, etc., then you should begin to teach your children the vision. If they have the opportunity to see the direction you are going, and the values that are important to your family, then they will have a much more solid foundation to stand upon when those days of frustration come around, as they do for every school child no matter where they go to school.
A homeschool vision statement is also something that an older student, such as the one who finds himself homeschooling out of a crisis or need, can participate in developing. It's the perfect opportunity to sit down with your child and assess the needs and desires while also addressing the situation that has brought you into this place.
So whether you call it marketing or vision, plan for your homeschool program with the intensity of a business entrepreneur whose financial success depends on it. Just like a business, your homeschool program depends on having a plan, a purpose, and a unified team supporting it!
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