Homeschooling a Strong-Willed Teen

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Homeschooling a Strong-Willed Teen. Homeschooling a Strong-Willed Teen We had a request from one of our 7th Sisters to talk about homeschooling high school with strong-willed teens. (BTW- there are six of us 7Sisters, so who is the 7th Sister? YOU are!) I have to admit that the truth is, if we have more than one kid, we could make a lineup of easy- to hard-to-homeschool teens. If we happen to do that, it is likely that most of us have at least one easier kid and definitely one harder to homeschool. Often that harder to homeschool teen is strong willed. However, you can be of good cheer! You and your all your teens (even the strong-willed ones) CAN love homeschooling high school- at least most days. Believe me, I've been there and done that. With that in mind, let's talk about some tips for homeschooling strong willed teens. There are several mindsets that will benefit us parents of strong-willed teens. Here are a few: Remember, you and your teens are not enemies (even on bad days) Pray for God to give you a vision of being a team. To do this, we need an openness to always think of ourselves, even on bad days, as together (not against). This is such a necessary mindset. Keep in mind that God created your strong-willed teen. He has plans for that will. Not only that, but when you have that strong will working WITH you on a project or plan, amazing things can happen! And those amazing things that happen (not every day but enough days), even strong willed teens come to see themselves as team players. One benefit of this team mindset is that over the years these teens come to see themselves as friendly with their parents. Of course, this can be a challenge to those of us who were with a highly authoritarian parenting style. If you were raised as "the parent is the authority and the teen must submit",  AND you want to repeat this with your strong-willed homeschooler, life will have more challenges. God creates our teens and their personalities In His infinite wisdom, God gave you the perfect teen with the perfect personality to fit with your personality. NO kidding! God knew it was the very best thing for you to be together through their adolescence. We can trust God with the process through their homeschooling years. Also, keep in mind that through this process, He is not out to break their wills- or yours. Rather, He is working to mold you both into the image of Christ. Therefore, you both over time grow into the fruit of the Spirit. Now, some practical tips for homeschooling strong willed teens Okay, so what is the rubber-meets-the-road in tips for homeschooling these teens? First off, pray As our Sister Kym always says: Pray first, last and always! The true secret of success is praying for God's wisdom for raising these particular teens. Have an easy but helpful resource We are not affiliates, but there is a wonderful resource for raising these teens: How to Really Love Your Teen by Ross Campbell. This is a book that helps you find a balance of helping these teens get and stay on your team by making them feel loved. While creating this loving atmosphere Campbell also shows useful ways to set rules and boundaries with these teens. Here are some ideas from Ross Campbell: * Eye contact * Eyes are the gate to the soul. When you check in with your teens' eyes periodically, it feels their "love tank" (as Campbell calls their emotional needs). * Positive and healthy physical touch * All teens (and all humans) need occasional touch, for instance: a pat on the back,