How to Raise Expectations Without Power Struggles in Your Homeschool

In this episode you'll hear about: Defining Success and Challenges in Homeschooling Encouragement for parents to define "success" for their own families Recognition that listeners may be pursuing a nontraditional educational path Parental questions about raising expectations without causing power struggles Sarah Collins's current family homeschooling dynamics (older children graduating or not homeschooled, youngest still at home) Understanding the Roots of Power Struggles Parents balancing desire for independence/responsibility with understanding individual children Common research interests in neurodiversity, learning differences, and diagnoses The challenge of distinguishing when to support, accept, or expect growth Expectations exceeding the child's current skill set The child ready for more independence than the parent is comfortable with Environment not supporting the child's success (focus on method over needs) Balancing Acceptance and Expectation Importance of finding a middle ground between acceptance and expectation Risks of having only acceptance or only expectation (limited growth vs. frustration/conflict) First Mismatch: Expectations Ahead of Skills "Is this a skill problem or a will problem?"—reframing perceived defiance Detailed analysis using writing as an example: Potential motor, cognitive, or social-emotional challenges Misinterpretations leading to mislabeling skill deficits as character issues Importance of curiosity and skill identification for productive responses Second Mismatch: Independence and Ownership Struggles when children want more independence than parents give Personal example: child's new responsibility for a pet snake Parental tendency to take on ownership and responsibility that should belong to children Micromanaging vs. micro-noticing; consequences for child development The importance of clear ownership and natural consequences When parents give responsibilities before children are ready (e.g. technology/phones) Power struggles tied to misplaced responsibility How assumptions about learning environments create unnecessary struggles (e.g., sitting at desks, taking notes) Son's late literacy development and eventual academic success Asking correct questions: what is the learning outcome versus the method? Flexibility in reading methods—standing, listening, moving while learning Main point: focus on outcomes, adjust methods as needed Occupational Therapy Perspective on Challenging Tasks OT's role: breaking down tasks, identifying underlying skill gaps Parents are not expected to have all the answers—value of another perspective Origin and ongoing purpose of Homeschool OT coaching and support Links and Resources From Today's Show Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy? Connect with Sarah Collins on IG The Homeschool OT Teachers Pay Teachers Join The OT Insiders Waitlist Check Out Our Title Sponsor CTC Math CTC Math Free Trial Chores For Skill Builders Blog Face to Face Connections In A Screen To Screen World Book Episode 8: Beyond the Pencil: Exploring Vision's Impact on Homeschool Handwriting Success Episode 11: Exploring Unique Learning Paths in Homeschooling with Guest Amy Bodkin Episode 17: Neuro Affirming Homeschool Environments with Keisha Berry Episode 27: Preserving Childhood in a Digital World: Greta Eskridge's Expertise for Families Episode 70: Tackling Homeschool Guilt and Finding Your Own Path with Kelly Edwards Episode 74: Navigating the Teen Years: Building Connection and Independence at Home Episode 81: Understanding Social Pressures and Masking in Kids Episode 86: Balancing Acceptance and Expectation: Building Executive Functioning in Homeschooling and Parenting Episode 88: Making Literacy Feel Natural in Your Everyday Life Thank you to our title sponsor for this episode, CTC Math. You can check out their FREE trial here.