3 Common Homeschool Mistakes & How To Avoid Them
It took me quite some time to decide we wanted to homeschool. I’m the type of person that needs to know everything and then I just dive in with all I have. Based on all of my research, I knew homeschooling would be hard at first but what I didn’t expect was the big learning curve we as the parents have to overcome!
I made some classic mistakes when we first started, and I want to share them with you so you can sidestep the frustration and hopefully jump straight into a smoother, more joyful homeschool experience.
Mistake #1: Buying the Wrong Curriculum
This is a big one—both in terms of money and confidence. When I purchased our first curriculum, I was so excited. It was beautiful, it was thorough, and it promised a well-rounded education. But fast forward one week, and my daughter and I were both on the brink of tears.
The lessons were far too long for her attention span, and I found myself spending more time prepping, modifying, and pulling her through them than actually teaching. The result? Frustration on both ends and very little learning happening.
How to avoid this mistake:
Always download the free sample before purchasing a curriculum. If they don’t have a free sample that’s a big red flag.
Test it out—not just with your child but with a spouse or friend. If it feels overwhelming, it probably is.
Be realistic about your child's attention span. That gorgeous reading curriculum I bought? It had a 75-minute daily lesson plan—for a kindergartener!
Reflect on how much modification is required. If you're constantly tweaking a curriculum to make it work, it may not be the right fit.
Don’t get stuck on the idea of the “perfect” curriculum. The best one is the one your child actually engages with.
Mistake #2: Overscheduling Everything
I fell into this trap hard. There are so many incredible homeschool resources out there—co-ops, field trips, music lessons, language classes—not to mention all the core subjects we wanted to cover.
So, I did what any enthusiastic (but slightly overambitious) homeschool mom would do: I scheduled everything.
Mornings? Packed with co-ops and homeschool groups.
Afternoons? A rush through math, science, history, and reading.
Evenings? Dance, soccer, cello, gymnastics, fencing.
I thought this would create more blocks of time for me to work, and in a way, it did. But oh my goodness, we burnt out fast. We were constantly rushing—no time to pause and enjoy a lesson, no room for spontaneous adventures, no flexibility for deep dives into topics that sparked curiosity.
How to avoid this mistake:
Less is more. Focus on the essentials and leave space for curiosity-driven learning.
Protect your downtime. Unstructured play, creative time, and rest are just as important as academics.
Be flexible. If your child suddenly develops an obsession with black holes, wouldn’t it be great to drop everything and spend the afternoon at the library?
The beauty of homeschooling is its flexibility. If your schedule feels suffocating, it’s time to pare it down.
Mistake #3: Not Getting Organized from the Start
There’s no faster way to lose your child’s attention (or your sanity) than pausing mid-lesson to search for a missing pencil, the right book, or that one math manipulative that was just here yesterday!
I learned this lesson the hard way. In our early days, I’d start a lesson, realize I forgot one of the supplies, rummage through drawers while my daughter got distracted, and by the time I was ready, she had completely lost focus - it seems to take all of 3 seconds for their minds to wander and bodies get filled with the wiggles!
How to avoid this mistake:
Create a dedicated homeschool space. It doesn’t have to be a full classroom, but having designated spots for learning makes a difference. And yes, your dining table can double as your dedicated space to learn and eat.
Use a rolling cart for supplies. I keep ours stocked with bins for each day of the week, plus an “extras” bin with fun activities like game ideas and crafts aligned to our topics for when we have spare time.
Plan ahead. At the start of each week, I review our lessons and make sure everything we need is ready to go. If I try to plan further than this, I forget too much before the actual lessons so for me this is the sweet spot! You may find every other night or even every other week works better for how your mind works.
Taking the time to set up an organized system and rhythm saves so much stress in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Every homeschooling parent makes mistakes—we’re learning just as much as our kids! The key is to adapt and adjust as you go. By avoiding these three common pitfalls, you can create a smoother, more enjoyable homeschool experience for your family.
Have you made any of these mistakes? Or do you have your own lessons learned? I’d love to hear! Drop a comment below, and let’s support each other in this journey. 💛
Looking for more homeschooling tips, book recommendations, and play-based learning ideas?