Discover homeschool curriculum tips and confessions in Episode 568! Learn what works, what flops, and how to choose the best homeschool curriculum for your family.

Curriculum Confessions - What Worked and What Flopped ~  Episode 568
Why the Right Homeschool Curriculum Matters
Welcome back to Vintage Homeschool Moms! I'm Felice Gerwitz, your host and a homeschool mom of 32 years. I know, I sound way younger! (I hope you think that!) Listen, I've learned so much through trial, error, and some amazing wins. Today, we're talking Curriculum Confessions: What worked and what didn't. If you've ever wondered if you picked the right curriculum or felt stuck with one that’s just not working for you or your family, this episode is for you. We're diving into practical ideas to help you find what works for your family, with a focus on you. Not Sally-Jane down the street, or that lady who seems to have it all together with the perfect kids. No. You. Because at the end of the day, if you don't like the curriculum, even if everyone says it is the best, it isn't going to work for your family.
My goal for this podcast, as well as for the others that represent our network, is to leave you encouraged, equipped, and ready to make choices that bring joy to your homeschool. Let's get started.

How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum That Fits Your Family
The truth is, the best curriculum is the one that fits your family’s unique needs, and that can change from year to year as your kids grow. Look at your family and analyze what you need. Watch your kids at play, or if you have high schoolers, what interests them? Adding a mini-unit study or a deeper study will definitely help promote a child's interests, but introducing them to new topics or stretching their minds is always beneficial.
I’ve mentioned this before in Episode 536, “The Best Homeschool Curriculum,” where we discussed finding what aligns with your kids and your lifestyle. A great place to start is CathyDuffyReviews.com – it’s a goldmine for detailed, expert reviews that help you sort through options without feeling overwhelmed. Trust me, it’s saved me from plenty of curriculum mistakes over the years.

Prioritizing Family Connection in Homeschooling
One thing to remember is that the focus of your homeschool should be on building strong family relationships through learning and education. Most of us prioritize spending time with our children over checking every academic box. I used checklists to keep us on track, as I could easily go off on a tangent. However, I prioritized shared activities, such as read-alouds and hands-on projects. We always had something planned, like a science or history fair. Even if we only presented to our family. For several years, we participated in science fairs, and my daughter won the competition, placing 2nd in the regional science fair and 1st in the state homeschool science fair. My other children were not as interested in the bigger competitions, so we kept it to the local homeschool science fairs. My science fair book even made it on the shelves of some libraries across the state and was named as the top book in God's World Publishing.

Incorporating Life Skills into Your Homeschool Curriculum
Every opportunity to incorporate school into our homeschool was utilized. We cooked, baked, and worked on larger family projects together. I taught the children how to budget, or we worked on several gardens, not all of which were successful, except for basil. Somehow, we can grow huge basil plants. That didn't mean we didn't have a math curriculum, or reading and language arts for the older kids.
My kids were raised with the goal of being ready for life, not just tests. No snowflakes here. I think sports helped (although I was a reluctant sports mom at first; my biggest complaint was the time taken up with practices and weekends for the sport).