How to Make a Mid-Year Switch to Homeschooling with Sonlight

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How to Make a Mid-Year Switch to Homeschooling with Sonlight

#SONLIGHTSTORIES

"After two years of using a computer/video-based curriculum, something wasn’t working for us. The program left no space for fun, exploring, or developing my little one's interests. Most of all, our relationship began to suffer. Our homeschool day consisted of my supervising Gracia to pay attention to computer videos.

"It was a challenge to make the decision to move to a literature-based curriculum because English is my second language. But it broke my heart to realize that learning had become a burden to my daughter. This was not what my husband and I had in mind when we decided to homeschool; we wanted our kids to love learning. I wanted to learn with my children. I wanted learning to strengthen our relationship while discovering the world together, not for education to be a barrier between my children and me through a computer screen.

"So I took the challenge and switched to Sonlight! All my original expectations about homeschooling were met with Sonlight curriculum!! After a week of starting homeschooling with Sonlight, Gracia asked me when the vacations were going to be over. We were having so much fun that she hadn’t realized we were doing school!"

Maria del mar Gaytan in Miami, FL

We’ve all been there. Something is not working for your child when it comes to education. It's a terrible feeling that can keep you up at night, worried about how to fix the situation.

  • Possibly your curriculum isn't a good fit.
  • It could be a teaching approach that is causing frustration or boredom.
  • Maybe your child's school environment is toxic and causing anxiety.

You know there's a problem. But should you push through and tough it out to the end of the year? Or is it time to try something new—midway through the school year?

If your school experience is more frustrating and less productive than you would like it to be, don’t waste any more time. You can have the homeschool experience you want. Switching to a new curriculum or ending your relationship with the school system doesn’t have to be a painful process even if you are mid-stream in the school year.

Don't let sunk costs in a bad situation keep you stuck. And don't think that you have to wait for a fresh school year to switch. You can make a switch at any point. The sooner the better!

Don't worry about the fact that there's no way you can complete a full year's worth of curriculum in the school year that's left. It's okay! There are three options for dealing with that situation when you make a mid-year switch to homeschooling with Sonlight.

Don’t put off this change any longer. Switch to Sonlight and give your children the education you’ve dreamed of. It’s never too late to switch!


I made the switch to Sonlight with my older children in History / Bible / Literature D, and I haven't had a moment's regret since!

#SONLIGHTSTORIES

"Rosalynne absolutely loves reading, and Sonlight provides her with such a rich combination of books that speak right to the heart. I made the switch to Sonlight with my older children in History / Bible / Literature D, and I haven't had a moment's regret since!"

Lena Q. in Kincheloe, MI

1. Stretch Out a Sonlight HBL

Choose a Sonlight program for you child based on two factors:

Then begin on Week 1, Day 1 of your HBL Instructor's Guide no matter if you're starting in October or January. Work through the program until your school year is finished in the spring. Stop for the summer wherever you are in your History / Bible / Literature curriculum.

For skill-based subjects like Math, Reading, and Language Arts, finish your programs over the summer.

In the fall, pick up the History / Bible / Literature program wherever you left off before summer break. As far as the skill-based subjects, advance to the next level.

There are variations of this method depending on how much time you have left in your school year and what History / Bible / Literature level you choose. The bottom line is this: Finish the skill-based subjects to keep your child advancing and stretch out the History / Bible / Literature to cover all or part of the next school year.


After three years of working with Dutch schoolbooks and trying to fill in the gaps, we discovered and switched to Sonlight with much thankfulness!

#SONLIGHTSTORIES

"We have been a homeschooling family for more than 9 years now on the mission field in Madagascar. After three years of working with Dutch schoolbooks and trying to fill in the gaps, we discovered and switched to Sonlight with much thankfulness! Sonlight curriculum reflects what I want for my children, deep in my heart."

Anita R. in Madagascar

2. Get Ready to Advance with Skill-Based Subjects

If you are close to the end of the school year when you switch to homeschooling with Sonlight, it may not make sense to start a History / Bible / Literature program at all. In that case, choose your Skill-based subjects (Math, Language Arts, and Reading) and complete those before the next school year so that you can advance on time. Without an HBL element, you can fill your days with those skill subjects. Start fresh in the fall with an All-Subjects Package.


We switched to homeschooling last year and were blown away by the difference in my daughter's learning.

#SONLIGHTSTORIES

"We switched to homeschooling last year and were blown away by the difference in my daughter's learning.

Putting together a whole curriculum myself was overwhelming and left me constantly second-guessing if I was doing right by her education. With a 1-year-old running around and another baby on the way, I knew that we need a well-rounded and engaging curriculum for the coming year. Sonlight to the rescue! With the quality of books we received and her initial reaction, I'd say we made the right choice! "

Megan W. in Kokomo, IN

3. Complete Most of the HBL and Call It Good

If you have time to complete most of a year’s worth of History / Bible / Literature, you might decide to simply call it good when its time for your school year to end. Sonlight programs are so rich that you will likely have had a very full year regardless of the number of weeks you’ve finished.

Advance your child to the next level in the fall right on schedule.

Whether you choose one of these ideas or come up with your own unique variation, switching mid-year does not have to mean skipping your summer break or working extra long days just to check every box.

Seize the opportunity to revitalize your child’s education with something fresh. And, as always, the Advisor team is here to help you find a path forward.

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6 Ways to Give Your Homeschool a Progress Report

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“Okay, let’s do the AAR,” my husband said after a church event our family had organized. We gathered in the living room and one by one gave our two cents, down to our youngest child. “I really liked when we sang the songs, and I liked sitting by my leader, but the bounce houses were way too crazy! We need more grown-ups watching the bounce houses.” she stated. 

This type of family meeting has become common practice in our home. The term AAR comes from my husband’s time in the military, and it stands for After-Action Review.

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I could never homeschool because... Part 3: Socialization

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The hardest part of homeschooling often isn't the homeschooling!

With a great curriculum like Sonlight, the teaching is the easy part! The harder part is clearing the hurdles to get started in the first place.

We’re here to help you push past these worries that many homeschool parents face. In this blog series, we’ll debunk the most common hurdles to getting started homeschooling.

We’ll give you tips to overcome and advice to thrive, plus we'll share stories of real homeschoolers who have cleared these hurdles.


What about socialization? Will my child be isolated and lonely?

Socialization is one of the leading concerns about homeschooling. Rest assured, though, homeschooling is a fantastic way to socialize your child. While homeschooling doesn’t guarantee a social butterfly, neither does public school. It is ultimately a culmination of a child’s personality, experiences, and values that makes them who they are.

Don’t buy into the homeschooling socialization myth. A wonderful world of socializing awaits! May these resources help you take the leap. Go for it!

FROM THE SONLIGHT BLOG

"Our doctor asked us once what we use for curriculum because he was impressed with our children's knowledge and social skills. Using Sonlight allows for enjoyable independent learning that allows our children to grow and flourish in their quest for knowledge."

The W family of Lancaster, OH

VIDEO

"Be empowered and encouraged in the face of ill-informed “But what about socialization?” questions. These doubts are flawed at the very root, based on incorrect beliefs about the public school system, incorrect perceptions of when socialization occurs, and incorrect and narrow definitions of socialization itself. Non-traditional education bypasses these pitfalls, and allows for a wide range of (true!) socialization."

Gina Munsey, The Oaxacaborn Blog

To ease your fears about homeschooling, pair this encouragement with a time-tested homeschool curriculum. Let Sonlight equip you and give you the confidence to do it well.

With all your materials and plans laid out for you to just open and teach, you do have what it takes to homeschool! We are so happy to be part of your homeschool and walk alongside you in this journey

Consult a Sonlight Advisor for personalized homeschool advice. FREE!

If you are considering a new direction for your children’s education or have doubts about your homeschool and want personalized reassurance, we have experienced homeschooling moms who would love to talk to you. With our Sonlight Advisors, you'll get one-on-one help, new ideas, and renewed confidence.

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I could never homeschool because... Part 2: Money

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The hardest part of homeschooling often isn't the homeschooling!

With a great curriculum like Sonlight, the teaching is the easy part! The harder part is clearing the hurdles to get started in the first place.

We’re here to help you push past these worries that many homeschool parents face. In this blog series, we’ll debunk the most common hurdles to getting started homeschooling.

We’ll give you tips to overcome and advice to thrive, plus we'll share stories of real homeschoolers who have cleared these hurdles.


We need two incomes. I can't work from home and homeschool.

It can be challenging to live on one income. The fear of losing income and incurring the costs of homeschooling sometimes feels like too big of a leap. You might be surprised to know that homeschooling can be done very economically.

Sometimes its just not possible for one parent to be at home full time. It takes some creative scheduling but homeschooling as a working parent is possible.

If you believe homeschooling is best for your family we are here to help you figure it out. The time you spend with your children learning as a family will be its own reward.

Contact a Sonlight Advisor for advice unique to your situation. And here are a few resources to help clear this financial hurdle.

FROM THE SONLIGHT BLOG...

  1. How Much Does Homeschooling Cost? Why It Is Worth the Investment
    How much does homeschooling cost? Is homeschooling expensive? Is homeschooling cheaper than a regular school? Is it something you can afford? Or is it outside your reach? And when it all comes down to it, is homeschooling worth the cost?

  2. How to Find the Time to Homeschool (Even if You Work)
    If you need to or want to work, but still want quality time with your children and a stellar education, you can do it. Here are a few tips.

  3. Stories from New Homeschoolers: How to Juggle Working & Teaching
    We asked brand new, unexpected homeschoolers how they are juggling working with teaching their children at home. We hope their stories will encourage you that you are not alone in your struggles! And maybe you'll find a few tips for making these days easier.

FROM THE SONLIGHT PODCAST...

ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL...

I never thought I'd homeschool because I enjoy working, but Sonlight's Instructor's Guides make it easy to do both. I don't have to plan anything!  I open and start teaching which saves both time and energy. I can order all my materials in one place assured that my kids are getting a full, rich education despite our busy schedule.

— R. Family Sonlighters, Castle Rock, CO


To ease your fears about homeschooling, pair this encouragement with a time-tested homeschool curriculum. Let Sonlight equip you and give you the confidence to do it well.

With all your materials and plans laid out for you to just open and teach, you do have what it takes to homeschool! We are so happy to be part of your homeschool and walk alongside you in this journey!

Consult a Sonlight Advisor for personalized homeschool advice. FREE!

If you are considering a new direction for your children’s education or have doubts about your homeschool and want personalized reassurance, we have experienced homeschooling moms who would love to talk to you. With our Sonlight Advisors, you'll get one-on-one help, new ideas, and renewed confidence.

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Sonlight Spotlight - Fiedler Family

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Each month the Sonlight team will choose a current family to highlight by sharing their #sonlightstories. If you'd like to shine a light on your family, apply here for a chance to be featured.

Meet the Fiedler Family!

Felicia and Tim, with their three sons, Jonathan (10), Artemus (8), and Mattix (6), have homeschooled since 2013 using Sonlight. They have used levels T, P, K, B, C & D, and are currently using A and E. Felicia tells us about how she always wanted to be homeschooled as well as homeschool her own children. She and Tim did not want their kids to get lost in the crowd but have a strong foundation in their faith, as well as a love of reading.

When Felicia was little she asked to be homeschooled and was for 6 months during a move mid-school year. She would line up her stuffed animals and her brothers, and play homeschool with them. It was something she always wanted to do and feels blessed she is able to homeschool her children. "It's just something God placed on my heart from a very young age", she tells us.

Homeschool curriculum research started while their oldest was still in the NICU as a micro-preemie. While reading a Sonlight catalog, the nurses reminded her she had a long time before needing to think of school. As an avid reader, Felicia loved that Sonlight uses literature to teach and was determined to educate her children using great books.

"It's a really fun way to learn history in a way that I didn't learn it!" ~ Felicia Fiedler

Fiedler Family Foundation

The Fiedler family prioritizes their Bible time first thing. Their days start with Bible memory and scripture, even before they have breakfast. Currently, they are doing both HBL A & HBL E, but they work on the memory verse for HBL A as a family and do the reading from both levels. Jonathon, the oldest, still does his Starting Strong, and the additional student readings from level E on his own.

During breakfast, Felicia starts reading their history and literature. After they clean up, they start their table subjects. Most days they are able to finish by 11 or 12 o'clock and hang out, play with Legos, or swim in the afternoons.

"I really like the idea of doing Bible as a family because God’s inspired word is for everybody. It reaches a two-year-old to a 100-year-old." ~ Felicia Fiedler

Fiedlers Find Flexibility

The Fiedlers have done all the levels from preschool - D, but Felicia says she has learned to balance her expectations. She loves her IG (Instructor's Guide) especially for scheduling what she needs to accomplish each day. Felicia modifies it to suit her family's needs. Sometimes she uses it for the added discussion questions, sometimes they omit books to fit their schedule, but no matter what, she knows they are getting a full and rich education.

"When my oldest went through I felt like I had to stick with every little thing. Now I've learned I can relax." ~ Felicia Fiedler 

Felicia says she is able to breathe a little more because they know the boys are reading more books now than most kids probably read in their entire childhood.  She lets us know that books she didn’t like initially, she absolutely loves when they read them again. "Tastes change, and you better understand the purpose of the books as you go along."

This year has been a really rough year for the family, with the loss of a grandfather, and a great-grandmother as well as moving and building a house. With all this and Tim being deployed a few times, they have had a lot on their plates. Felicia's perspective has shifted, and it's okay to step back and re-prioritize what needs to happen. The IG has given her the ability to balance what needs to be done for school.

Tim and Felicia intend to homeschool through high school, but they want to follow God's plan for their lives. Felicia is a planner and had all the years planned out, but now feels like she needs to wait each year to see what is in store for them. Their goal is to remain flexible in what needs to happen.

Tim's flexibility was put to the test when Felicia brought up homeschooling. He thought she was crazy because it was so different from what he remembered from his traditional school upbringing. Now he knows homeschooling was the best decision. He trusts her, she keeps him up to date on all they are doing, and he can not complain. When she needs him to take over, he knows how to follow the IG and what to do. Sonlight is simple to use and flexible.

"Not everything can be planned out exactly how you want to it to be, so I try to be flexible." ~ Felicia Fiedler

Fiedler Family Favorites

The Fiedler family says their favorite things about homeschooling are spending more time with family, and not having to do school all day long. While the boys love being homeschooled because mom reads to them, they enjoy reading their books and making lunch together.

The Fiedler boys' favorite book recommendations:

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

The Great Turkey Walk

Boxcar Children

Ergermeier’s Bible Storybook

George Muller

You can learn more about the Fiedler family’s Sonlight experience by listening to their full interview on the Sonlight Connections podcast.

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7 Insignificant Homeschool Perks that Make a Big Difference

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There are lots of big reasons to say yes to homeschooling:

But as you find your groove, you discover a load of seemingly insignificant homeschool perks that you may not have originally realized. These little joys add up in a big way and, for my family, have quickly become major benefits of learning at home.

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5 Principles for a Peaceful Preschool at Home

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5 Principles for a Peaceful Preschool at Home

"Many people ask me what our younger kids do while I am working with our two older boys. Since the preschool 4/5 program can be done in short segments throughout the day, Lydia (4) enjoys the individual attention over shared books and then has naturally taken to teaching her younger brother, Joshua (1), while I am busy with the older boys. Now that she is more confidently identifying her letters, she enjoys pointing them out to her brother."

— Sarah H. of Cochranville, PA

You know you want to give homeschooling a shot, but when your children are barely out of toddler-hood, how do you get started building a family culture of home education? One suggestion is to invest in a great curriculm like Sonlight's Preschool Package. It's full of great literature for little ones, complete with an Instructor’s Guide with suggested extension activities to enhance learning with play.

So once you have a great curriculum chosen, how can you build a peaceful homeschool routine with preschool-aged children? Here are five principles I've found helpful.

1. Aim to Balance Structured Activities with Unstructured Play

Unstructured, imaginative, and independent play is crucially important to children at this age. However, some structured activities, directed by the parent, are appropriate at this time, too. The preschool years are a prime time to begin setting the foundation for following instructions, respecting others, and listening to parents—skills that will help set your child up for a joyful career of learning as they grow.

At the earliest stage of homeschool, don’t expect to spend a solid 1-3 hours working through various school tasks in the morning. Instead, it's more effective to sprinkle four or five intentional 10-20-minute sessions into a day filled with the normal toddler activities.

An example preschool day might include:

  • 20 minutes of storytime after breakfast
  • Time for free play or helping a parent with household tasks
  • 20 minutes of an extension activity related to one of the stories read during the morning
  • More time to play (perhaps at a toy station or sensory bin set up by the parent)
  • Lunch
  • 20 minutes of sit-down learning activities: working on pre-writing or pre-math skills
  • Time for free play, housework, or family errands
  • 20 minutes of a skill-building game or time outdoors
  • Time to help prepare for dinner
  • Dinner
  • 20 minutes of storytime, woven into the bedtime routine

"Mighty Mind math puzzles [from Sonlight's preschool package] are a fun addition to the preschool day. I appreciate that each puzzle becomes progressively more complex—just enough to keep Grace engaged and challenged yet able to eventually work through on her own. The pride she felt after completing a particularly difficult one was exciting to watch."  — Gina M. of Sumter, SC

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Introduce Books That Seem Too Hard

Parents unboxing their Sonlight Preschool Package for their three-year-old might at first think to themselves:

"All right, the Eloise Wilkin Stories are simple enough, and the George and Martha stories are totally doable...but Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales? There are so many words on a page, and so many pages in a story!

How will my child ever sit through a story like this? Make Way for McCloskey? Same problem! Great stories, but with a lot of words that will be way above my child’s head and far outside their experience."

I encourage you not to be hesitant to introduce challenging books. Balance easier stories that you can read repeatedly with the introduction of storybooks that are longer than they are used to, with words they don’t yet understand, and with pictures that show a time and a place far from anything they have experienced. 

Younger preschoolers, it is true, need time to develop the skills to sit through a longer picture book. Experiment with ways to begin introducing these books. Their ability to listen and learn will blossom!

My son is on the young side for preschool and we’re starting slowly. For the longer, more advanced tales, I have found these kinds of times work well for reading aloud to him:

  • while he’s still in his chair after finishing lunch
  • while he is sitting down with some play-dough
  • while he's on the floor with building blocks
  • while he’s in the bathtub

For shorter stories, we cuddle on the couch together.

"This is the way so many of our mornings begin. Snuggled up in Daddy's chair, big brother Josiah shares his newfound love for reading out loud to little sister Emilyn and baby brother Seth. They hang on his every word!

"Sonlight is an answer to my prayers, providing my babies not only a natural love for learning but an inseparable sibling bond that I know will not be shaken as they grow older. P.S. No joke! I did not make them pose for this picture.)"
—Corrie C. of Perry, GA, using Sonlight Preschool

3. Take School Outdoors

There’s so much to learn and do, and in our busy modern lives, that young children tend not to get as much time outside as is good for them. There are all sorts of learning activities for preschool that can be done outside—including storytime! So when the weather makes it possible, take your preschool outside! Count the trees in your yard, name the plants and animals you can see, dig in the dirt, and have fun building memories and skills as a family in your own backyard or at the neighborhood park.

4. Integrate Music Throughout Your Day

Music is a powerful learning tool, that plays an especially important role during the preschool developmental years. But if music education means that I needed to set aside a chunk of our day to sit down with a device that can play music and sing 5-10 songs together with my son, it would likely never happen. Instead, we find routines to integrate music throughout our day. This is what works for our homeschool family:

  • Dad plays quiet hymns as background music in the morning while the family is getting ready to start their day He has made a playlist of hymns in both English and Spanish because we are a bilingual family.
  • We keep the Wee Sing CD and other preschool-friendly song CDs in our car so we can listen and sing along while we’re out, getting errands done.
  • At various points throughout the day, I sing various children’s songs to my son and do the hand motions, without bothering to set up an audio accompaniment. Preschoolers aren’t too picky about your vocal skills, so don’t worry about singing a cappella even if it’s not something you’d want to do around grown-ups. 
  • A couple of times a week I pull out an inexpensive recorder and an electronic keyboard for interactive music playtime.

5. Use the Same Resources in Different Ways

Using one resource for multiple games and learning activities will save your budget and prevent your home from becoming constantly cluttered with the latest and greatest in educational resources. It will also foster problem-solving skills as your children imagine and experience the many different ways a single object can be used!

For example, the Teddy Mix & Match in Sonlight Preschool, has been the inspiration of all sorts of different games!

  • a memory-natching game, as the bears were originally intended
  • a version of Go Fish!, using the bears as cards
  • tracing the shapes of the bear cards and designing our own bears
  • a verbal description activity, describing what each bear looks like and where he might live (The chocolate bear lives in the refrigerator, we are pretty sure!)
  • imaginative play in which bears become dolls that play with and interact with each other

Homeschooling preschool need not be as intimidating as it sounds! Children just leaving toddler-hood behind are often feisty and imaginative; typically they are eager to learn! Enjoy these precious years with your child as you teach preschool at home.

Sonlight Preschool

This complete preschool homeschool curriculum program is perfect to cultivate a love of books and learning.

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