When your child stays at home all day, and you take on the dual role of teacher and parent, issues of discipline will arise. It is easy for the child to take on a negative attitude towards homeschooling- that it is just like being on holidays all the time. Correct discipline needs to be adhered to from the start of your homeschooling program, to avoid potential difficulties later on in your child's development and learning.
Homeschooling provides both yourself and your child with immense levels of freedom, and there will be temptation to stretch this freedom. Certain rules and practices need to be implemented at the beginning stages. If your child is too young to take an active part in the decision, set aside a few hours of the day for the various activities, and stick to it. Without a distinct plan, it will become easy to neglect your overall goals. If your child is old enough ask his/her opinion on how they would like you to approach this- obviously discretion is advised!
Ironically homework is a significant part of homeschooling. What this means essentially is periods of unguided learning, where you ask your child to complete pre-set tasks. You need to ensure your child is capable of working and maintaining concentration without supervision.
Manners, punctuality and courtesy are some of the key aspects of discipline which your child should ideally show in the early years. The school that your child attends have a massive impact on creating and moulding these fundamental behavioural aspects. At homeschooling your child needs to be taught and these behavioural qualities, and any deviation and lack of discipline needs to be thwarted out.
It is recommended to dedicate a certain room in your house to homeschooling. This is extremely important, as your child needs to associate your home with learning. If you frequently change the room you teach your child in, it will make the learning process disruptive. Once you have chosen on the hours you wish to keep for homeschooling, ensure your child is punctual and respects this as he would normal school hours. You do not want homeschooling to become an extension of play. You are playing a unique role- you are taking on all roles of a school, and you need to do this with professionalism and in the best interests of your child.
Patience is a vital ingredient in a successful homeschooling education. In spite of all the precautions and steps one takes, it will be easy for a child to get familiar at home school. Some times it will be very difficult to keep your patience and maintain discipline, at this point take a 10 minute break, and try again later.
Homeschooling is not easy- and if it were, there would be fewer schools. It requires a lot of concentration, persistence and hard work. The flexibility and informality of homeschooling can sometime work against it, and make it fee like an 'uphill battle' at times. If you take the steps at the beginning of your child's homeschooling by setting out guidelines and goals you want to achieve and stick to them, your chances of maintaining discipline will be far higher.