Homeschooling Just One

Back when we decided to homeschool, we didn't know that we would end up with just one child.   Fast forward to today and here we are, our daughter is almost 9 1/2 and she is an only child. 

So what is it like homeschooling just one child?  Is it easy?  Do I encounter the same challenges as other families, small and large?  Grab a cup of coffee (I know I am), sit back, relax, and take a trip into the life of Homeschooling an Only Child.

I am going to break this article up into two categories: Benefits and Challenges.  I want to start with our Challenges because I think that it is important to point out that families with only one child have similar struggles as larger families.

The first challenge that I face is motivating our daughter to get school started and then completed.  She does not have siblings that she can work with and she cannot compete with brothers and sisters to get assignments done or even challenge others in games.  Each day is a new challenge and can become a struggle at times. 

Another challenge that we face is boredom.  I try to rotate subjects and make things as fun as they can be, but to be honest, I'm sometimes not really good at that.  We may be in the house for a couple days in a row, and even the breaks in between subjects can get boring. 

The next challenge we face is giving constant attention.  With no other children in the house, I am next in line.  ;o)  She is pretty good about playing on her own and keeping herself occupied from time to time, but when that wears off, she comes to me.

The last challenge is not one we really face at home, but something I have noticed more and more, especially this year.  Since we are a family with just one child, I've noticed that it has been increasingly harder to find other families who want to get together (with only us).  Where I may be looking for one playmate who is close to our daughter's age, they are looking for playmates who are close in age to several of their children.  I'd like to add though, that I can totally understand this, and I don't mind getting together with several families, it's just something I've noticed. 

So what can be good about just having one child?  Although we do get off track from time to time, I can get us back quickly and finish what we need to do each week.  It is not hard to meet the goals that I have made for the year.  We also have a lot of flexibility in our schedule and can attend most field trips and activities that come up each month.

I love that I can give all the one-on-one attention that is needed.  Our curriculum is pretty parent intensive.  I have to sit with her for almost every subject still, so it is a lot of work from me, but I enjoy spending that time with her. 

To conclude, I think all families, large and small, face unique but also similar challenges.  Some days are good and some are hard.  Some days I feel like the odd homeschooling family with just one child, but regardless, I know I enjoy homeschooling and wouldn't do anything differently.  :o)