Homeschooling Teenagers

How can it be so fun and so hard at the same time?

Dear Fellow Homeschooling Moms,

I’m sitting here after a long day of homeschooling my teen, and I just felt the need to reach out to you all, heart to heart. If you’re anything like me, homeschooling teenagers can feel like a whirlwind of emotions, challenges, and, yes, some absolutely wonderful moments. I know the ups and downs all too well, and I want you to know you’re not alone in this beautiful, sometimes overwhelming journey.

As our kids grow, homeschooling changes in ways I never imagined. The wide-eyed curiosity they had when they were little hasn’t disappeared, but it’s evolved—into questions that go deeper, subjects that are harder, and emotions that seem to ride on a never-ending rollercoaster. It’s not always easy to keep up, is it? Some days, I wonder if I’m doing enough or if I’m getting it right. Other days, I’m amazed at the young adult my teen is becoming, and I feel so blessed to be part of this chapter in their life.

But let’s be honest—it’s tough. Teenagers are finding themselves, questioning everything, and sometimes it feels like the simplest task becomes a battleground. There are moments when I’m not sure if we’ll get through the day without tears, frustration, or the overwhelming feeling that I’m failing. It’s exhausting trying to balance teaching, parenting, and just being there for them emotionally as they navigate this tricky age.

Yet, in the midst of the hard, there is so much beauty. Watching our teens blossom into independent thinkers, seeing them develop passions, and sharing those lightbulb moments together is incredible. We’re not just teaching them academics; we’re shaping them as people, and that’s an indescribable gift. Even when they push back (and they will), deep down, I know we’re planting seeds that will grow in their hearts and minds for years to come.

I want to encourage you—and remind myself—that it’s okay to have tough days. It’s okay to wonder if we’re doing it right or if we’ve got the energy to keep going. We’re all in this together, navigating the same challenges, feeling the same joys, and wrestling with the same doubts. But here’s the truth: we’re doing something amazing. We’re pouring our hearts into our kids, and that love, even on the hardest days, is what will carry us all through.

So, let’s give ourselves grace. Let’s celebrate the wins, no matter how small, and know that on the rough days, we are still enough. Our teenagers may not always show it, but they need us and value the time we spend investing in them. And in the years to come, they’ll remember not just the lessons but the love that came with them.

Take a deep breath, mama—you’re doing incredible work.

With understanding and love,

Jen

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What curriculum is best to use with high schoolers?

My son has been a teenager for almost two years now. Every year we’ve tried new curriculum. There is SO much out there. Coming from a public school and my experience as a public school teacher, I find so much joy in looking at homeschool curriculum. It just has a different vibe. It’s joyful, interesting, fun, and exciting. It’s usually even pretty to look at!

It’s how learning should be, right?

Are you trying to find some good curriculum for your teenagers that they will enjoy. learn a lot from, and you’ll find worthwhile? Here are reviews of some of our favorite curriculum for teenagers we’ve used and loved at our homeschool co-op. I hope this helps you! And I’d love to hear from you if there are any I haven’t tried that you recommend! Connect with me below.

Not Consumed

Not Consumed has probably been my favorite homeschool curriculum discovery. I’ve been impressed with every resource we’ve used from them. Everything they create helps your family grow stronger in faith. They have homeschool products, devotional tools, and bible studies for kids. Their bible studies are great because they teach kids how the bible relates to their life and teaches them how to make good choices and apply what they learn from the bible to their real life. Some of the bible studies we’ve done and I recommend are “A Content Heart,” “Do Right,” “Obey,” and “My Brother’s Keeper.”

  • A Content Heart is perfect if your teens are always wanting more, or something different, or something they think is better. My teens started comparing what they have to what their friends have. I started hearing comments like they wish our house was bigger or all their friends have nicer cars, or why don’t we live in a certain neighborhood. It’s so easy to feel discontent with all the social media messages we are bombarded with and then start to become greedy. This bible study helps teens understand they will never be happy if they are always wanting something. They learn to be grateful and content with what they have.

  • If your kids are needing some encouragement in making good choices and fighting temptation Do Right would be the perfect bible study for them. Teenagers especially face so many temptations and equipping them with this bible study makes them strong.

  • I loved Obey because I felt my kids were always questioning me and arguing when they were asked to do something. This bible study really focuses on honoring your father and mother and why obeying is a blessing and how scripture talks about authority and rules. Definitely gave our teenagers something to consider!

  • And of course, every teen needs a little guidance in being a good sibling. My Brother’s Keeper helps your children build a strong relationship.

All these are fantastic, but there are so many more. Check them out - they all pretty much have 5 star reviews. There are different levels for different ages so you can do them with your whole family!

The Good and the Beautiful

We’ve used the Good and the Beautiful for a lot of our homeschooling at our homeschool co-op. It is one we have used for multiple subjects and we keep going back to it. For young teens, their Math is challenging and rigorous and is a great introduction to pre-algebra. I have also used their high school Literature course and I loved it. There are 10 units that include a new booklet for each unit. Each booklet teaches art and geography, beside reading and writing. It does a great job getting teens to think creatively. I also appreciate that it teaches sentence diagramming, which I think really helps kids understand the English language.

Thinkwell

Thinkwell is a great option for math if your teen is an independent learner and enjoys learning from videos. The videos in this program are well-done. Professor Burger is a goofy math professor who makes learning fun and explains things in a simple, broken-down way. There are printable notes, exercises, worksheets, quizzes, and exams. I will also say that their customer service is excellent!

Ramsey Homeschool

My son is currently taking the Ramsey Homeschool course “Foundations in Career Discovery.” He’s just a few days in and has already gained so much insight into himself, his interests, talents, and how to go about thinking about his future. It’s definitely an appropriate time to start thinking about this. The videos and activities are engaging and thought-provoking. My older daughter also completed the Entrepreneurship course, which she really enjoyed and it instilled a lot of confidence in her. These are great for teens to be able to work on independently, but there are many options provided for parents to have good conversations with their kids with questions to start meaningful discussions.

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expections

This book, written by Alex and Brett Harris, describes a movement by teenagers to rebel against society’s low expectations of them. This book is so encouraging and motivating for teens. Teenagers shouldn’t just “wait till they’re older” to start making important decisions and doing important, meaningful work with their lives. This book is great because it tells stories of actual teenagers who have done crazy cool things and have already made a difference in the world.

As my son was reading this book, I was looking for a resource to use along with it to help me assess his understanding and takeaways from the book. When I couldn’t find anything, I developed this chapter review packet and assessment.

This easy to print, ready to go packet includes one page per chapter for your students or homeschoolers to demonstrate their understanding through analyzing information, summarizing what they read, and answering comprehension questions. The questions require attention to detail and high-level thinking skills.

Also included is a one-page doodle notes assessment that can be used as you wish - either at the end of the book or at the end of each chapter. Doodle notes are a fun way to let your student or homeschool show their creative side while still showing what they learned.

I hope you read this book with your teen and that this packet is helpful for you!

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