Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing several ladies who have more experience home educating than I have. I’ve asked them all about homeschooling teens and am pleased to be able to share here, the wisdom they have shared with me!

Special Guest

Lauren is a mother of seven, whose children range in age from two – eighteen. Her teens are fifteen and eighteen years old. You can find Lauren on Instagram as @thegentlemommy, where she shares the beauty of the everyday as she serves her family, particularly in the areas of homesteading and homeschooling.

Lauren, how has your students’ learning journey changed throughout their teens?

“My girls have become more independent and I’ve noticed how their individuality has come through. They each have very unique interests and are beginning to hone in on those.”

“My oldest daughter has always had an eye for detail and problem solving, and last year she took a forensics class. She isn’t sure if she’ll pursue forensics or criminal justice in college, but she’s now spending more time in those classes to find out.”

“My younger teen is passionate about agriculture and business, so a large part of her homeschooling this year will be in a work-study with a local organic farm, even attending lobbying sessions at our state capitol with other farm groups.”

What has been a priority for you as you homeschool your teens?

“My biggest focus has been on preparing my girls for the world they’ll live in. We sheltered them a great deal in their younger years, but as they’ve gotten older it’s been very good for them to spend intentional time interacting in the world.”

“My fifteen year old currently works for a local farm and accompanies them to farmers’ markets where she acts as a cashier. That experience with the general public, under the care and supervision of people we love and trust, has helped her develop a good sense of what’s out there, and how to still be true to herself and her values. She also volunteers with our library so she has lots of experience seeing and appreciating differences. We spend plenty of time on education, so I’m never worried about equipping them academically, I mostly want them to be strong and independent in their values and self-worth when they leave home.”

What can be a challenge when homeschooling teens?

“Some of the challenges,” Lauren explains, “have been around supporting their interests while still being a mom to many littles at home. It’s hard to get older kids to all the activities they may like to participate in. So we spend a lot of time looking at schedules together and trying to find grace and space for everyone to have what they need – without it being too tough on the family.”

And what is it, about homeschooling teens, that has been a blessing?

“Teenagers need as much love and attention as toddlers. I’ve spent a lot of late nights in deep conversations with my teens as they grow into adults. Teenagers are taking all that they’ve seen at home and combining it with what they’ve seen in the world as they build their unique worldviews. We have such an opportunity for connection here – to equip them for the future and to give them a strong foundation and sense of self – if we can make the time to meet them where they are.”

Knowing what you know now, how would you prepare a middle schooler for what is to come?

Lauren says, “I’d say to any family with middle schoolers to develop strong school routines which will anchor you as you go through more emotionally demanding moments, and to cultivate joy in time with your children.”

“High school has been very demanding for my girls, but I’m glad we spent time early on building foundational skills. My boys are not super fond of writing right now, so our middle school focus will be to develop joy and confidence in writing. I’m more focused on encouraging them to enjoy the work than emphasizing where I’d like us to be at the end of the year – even though internally I have goals for them.”

How can mothers approaching this season prepare themselves?

“Focus on joy! However you can spend positive time together talking about life, do it – not just going places and spending money, but living life together. Make breakfast together or stay up late playing cards, whatever it takes to have opportunities for your children to be comfortable talking with you about their lives. Having that anchor in place before the big feelings of puberty take hold definitely makes those emotional moments easier. And remember, these are the years you’re building the foundation for the long-term. We aren’t mothers for eighteen years – we have these children forever. Creating strong bonds will make our homes safe places for them to return to when the world is heavy on them, and that’s the most rewarding part of all of it.”

I hope that you have appreciated Lauren’s insights into homeschooling teens as much as I have! I particularly appreciated Lauren’s advice to build foundational skills now, cultivate joy and connection with your kids, and learn how to give grace and space for the whole family to thrive.