Homeschooling Boys? Need Help?

Our modern schools seem to be biased against boys!

I homeschooled my sons for 17 years. Before I even started homeschooling them, I did a TON of research about boys in public schools. When I first started my investigation, it saddened me to discover the following:

  • Boys are five times more likely than girls to be classified as hyperactive and are 30 percent more likely to flunk or drop out of school. (National Center for Education Statistics)
  • Girls outperform boys in grades and homework at all levels. (NCES)
  • According to the Word Data Bank, 87% of educators in the United States are female.  This means there aren’t very many male role models for our boys in schools.
  • The decline of recess and physical education has been harmful to all kids but even more so for boys than for girls.
  • The zero tolerance policies across the country are also hurting boys more than girls.  Colorado’s Alex Evans, age 7, was suspended for throwing an imaginary hand grenade at “bad guys” in order to “save the world.”
  • Boys are nearly five times more likely to be expelled from PRESCHOOL than girls.  I didn’t even know you could get expelled from preschool!
  • Across the country, many games that helped boys to get out their extra energy have vanished from school playgrounds. Since the 1990s, elimination games like dodgeball, red rover and tag have been seen as too damaging to self-esteem and too violent.
  • Most boys love stories with lots of action. These books usually involve heroes, bad guys, rescues and shoot-ups.  Many schools don’t allow their students to read this kind of literature anymore.  No wonder some boys think they don’t like to read!
  • Boys’ fine-motor skills and cognitive skills develop later than girls’ so they lag behind girls throughout much of early school life.
  • Young boys find it physically difficult to sit still for long periods.  It used to be that schools understood this and allowed younger children to move around while learning; however, modern schools are requiring students to start “serious” schoolwork at younger and younger ages.
Homeschooling Boys? Need Help?

In light of the above discoveries, many parents are coming to the conclusion that their boys would be better off if they homeschool them than if they send them to school. If you have decided to homeschool your son, don’t settle for some formula that will supposedly work for anyone’s son.  It’s important for each of us to learn how we can understand the unique sons that God has given to us.

Have you ever experienced any of the following:

  • You’re struggling to understand your son
  • You’re having a hard time getting along with your son
  • Your son is objecting to doing his schoolwork
  • Your son doesn’t want to sit still to do his lessons

Wondering the best way to homeschool boys? Have you had difficulty trying to teach your son using methods that worked great for your daughter? Boys learn best when we use different teaching techniques for them than we do for girls.

Could you use some help?

Our boys are all different people. There are certain traits that most men have in common and these things are helpful to know when you’re trying to figure out your son.  However, knowing these attributes is only the beginning. To truly understand what makes your son tick, you need to be willing to try some new things and see what works best for him.

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Boys

That’s where my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Boys comes in. This book will make it easier for you to both understand your son and to appreciate the way God has made him.  It will also help you to discover the best way to educate your individual son.

Boys are a blessing!

Having a son is a blessing – but it can also confuse us moms. Our boys often act as if they’re alien life forms. They don’t want to talk when they’re upset. They get frustrated with us when we’re doing things for them that a daughter would appreciate. And they never want to sit still when we want them to!

Boys are so much more enjoyable to have around when we have an idea of what to expect. I know I grew up in a family with three girls and one boy… and we were sure that something was wrong with my brother because he acted so different than we did. Sometimes just knowing whether or not your son’s behavior is normal is a huge comfort for a mom!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Boys will help you with the following:

  • Learn essential techniques for understanding your son
  • Discover vital methods of training boys – both academic and life skills
  • Find out how to best connect with your son and appreciate his unique makeup
  • Learn great ways to ignite your son’s enthusiasm for learning
  • Learn a little bit about yourself along the way as well

If you could use some help knowing how to best homeschool your son, then get your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Boys today!

Question: Have you had difficulty while homeschooling your son? Do you struggle to understand what makes your son tick? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to try to help!

Homeschooling Boys? Need Help?

16 thoughts on “Homeschooling Boys? Need Help?”

  1. Wow, I’ll definitely share this to other moms I know. Even with a very limited family budget, I was encouraged to start homeschooling my 3-year old son also because of your blog.
    May the Lord bless you for your kind heart, Michelle.

  2. At my daughter’s school there is only one male teacher, a gym teacher. I never thought of it before but you’re right, kids spend so much time in schools, it’s a pity that boys don’t get more male role models. So really then, from everything I’ve learned from your blog, it might be a good idea if public schools had some separate classes just for boys and just for girls so each could be taught with their specific needs in mind.

  3. Michelle, I just love this post! As a mom of 5 boys, I am right there with ya! Thanks for wonderful tips & your book looks awesome! Thanks also for linking up at Learning From Each Other!

  4. I was nodding right along as I read your post. That is exactly my son! He can sit still and concentrate for some things, but most of the time he is all over the place =) I don’t mind it to an extent, but when it gets to the point of potentially hurting someone or making them uncomfortable, he has to learn to control himself. I definitely need to learn more in this area!

    1. Oh yes, there is definitely a time and a place. I don’t know how old your son is – but sitting still is a skill that needs to be learned. It seems to come naturally for girls… but it certainly doesn’t for boys. I’ve got LOTS of posts about teaching boys when they won’t sit still… and about connecting with a son who is “body smart” which may help you. 🙂

  5. My boys are 2 and 3 years old and I’m thinking I need to get this book now! I know they don’t need to sit for long periods of time now, but I would like to try out some new ideas in short increments. I’m new to your blog and looking forward to reading more content!

  6. Wow… A very interesting sets of facts about boys. I have 3 sons and all of them are homeschooled. I smile a lot reading this post as those facts just let me not feel alone. Boys are very unique physically and spiritually. They make me exhausted a lot, but I miss them a lot when they are not around. Thank you very much for sharing with us. A wonderful post.

    1. Thanks so much, Adelien. Yes, they can be exhausting… but they also put a lot of joy into our lives. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  7. Thanks for this post. We’re doing kindergarten at home this year (our first year of homeschooling), and I’m so happy we are. BUT. We just got back from taking both my big boys (just turned 5 and 3) to an art class at our local art gallery, and it was a difficult hour. I love my boys with my whole heart and we do work on behaving appropriately for each situation (playgrounds are for running and shouting, museums are for looking and listening, that sort of thing)—but today, when my boys were eagerly crowding the teacher to see the book she was reading, chatting animatedly, wiggling around during the art project—naturally, while everyone else’s kids were sitting quietly!—-I felt so discouraged. I felt like I was failing at teaching them and everyone around me was thinking “Oh, look at that mom with her wild children that she can’t control.” So, this post just reminded me that my boys are BOYS. They are little and full of energy and vivacity, and though they need direction, they also need grace.

    1. Definitely, Kelsey! Awww, they sound so sweet. Preschool and kindergarten boys should be wiggly! I’m glad I was able to encourage you. They’ll learn to sit still in due time. In the meantime, meet them where they’re at. I’ve got all sorts of posts about teaching boys without making them sit still. I hope you have a WONDERFUL year with your boys!

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