What I Learnt from the Teen Homeschool Summit
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
When you’re homeschooling a teen, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re behind—like there’s a race to win, deadlines to meet, boxes to tick. But one of the loudest, most heartening messages I took away from the Teen Homeschooling Summit was this:
🏃♀️ It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
And thank goodness for that.
Over and over, our speakers reminded us that learning isn’t linear. That growth—especially in the teen years—isn’t always obvious. That connection and exploration are not detours… they’re part of the path.
In fact, sometimes they are the path.
Don’t Rush the Process
There’s this underlying pressure to keep pace with school systems, to replicate familiar timelines. But when we zoom out, we realise that real learning often happens in the in-between moments—the deep conversations, the failed experiments, the rabbit holes of interest that no curriculum could predict.
And when we rush, we miss those.
We forget that teens are still discovering who they are.
And if we truly sit back, we realise—we’re all still discovering.
We’re adding pieces to this beautiful puzzle our whole life.
It takes time.
It takes curiosity.
It takes safe space and trust.
And often, it looks a lot less like worksheets and a lot more like wandering.
If you’re interested in slowing from a sprint? I’d start here:
- Meet the Graduates – A panel of graduates discussing their paths!
- It’s Their Life, Not a Lesson Plan! – Jo Lloyd, Rebecca English, Krystel Watts & Sheena Harris
- Raising Teens, Creating Legacy: How Home Educating Mothers Plant Seeds for Generations to Come – Heidi Conway
Got a Soon-to-Be Teen at Home?
If your family is exploring homeschooling through the middle years and beyond, you might love the
Teen Homeschooling Summit
15 + Recorded Workshops ready to watch!
Connection Comes First
One of the clearest takeaways from the summit was this: teens need connection more than control.
We often think about the early years as laying the foundation for connection—but what if we saw the teen years the same way?
These years aren’t just about surviving adolescence—they’re about building the bridge to lifelong connection with our adult children.
The conversations, the trust, the shared problem-solving we nurture now… they shape how they’ll relate to us when they’re 25, 35, and beyond.
They need to feel seen. Heard. Trusted. NOW.
They need relationships where it’s safe to push back, to question, to wonder out loud. That kind of connection doesn’t always come quickly—but it’s the groundwork for everything else.
- It’s Not All Up to Them: Rethinking Independence for Homeschooled Teens – Patricia Fitzgerald
- Terrific Teens – Rosie Boom
- Breaking the Stereotype: Maintaining a Relationship with Your Teen – Krystel Watts**
Exploration Needs a Framework
When teens feel connected and safe, exploration becomes natural. They start following their curiosity, testing ideas, and building the skills that will actually serve them in adulthood—critical thinking, confidence, adaptability, creativity.
But that doesn’t mean a free-for-all.
Exploration thrives within supported structure and healthy boundaries.
Teens feel most secure when they know where the edges are—what’s okay, what’s not, and where they have freedom to move. Boundaries built with care and clarity don’t shut down exploration—they support it.
In fact, pushing those boundaries is a healthy and important part of growing up. When teens test limits, they’re learning where their own strengths, values, and limits lie. That process helps them develop independence and self-awareness.
Boundaries create the safe container for this to happen, so teens can confidently explore without falling off the edge.
No, it won’t always look clean or predictable. But when there’s a balance of freedom and guidance, teens begin to find their footing—and their voice.
- The 360-Degree Feedback Perspective: A Powerful Process for Our Teens to Learn and Use in Life – Micarlé Callea
- Advancing Through High School at Your Own Pace, University Pathways and Early Entry Options – Amanda Bartle**
- Understanding People, Places, and Power: Why Social Studies Matters – Erin Parkinson
So Here’s the Reminder
(For Me and Maybe for You)
It’s okay if your teen isn’t “on track” in the traditional sense.
It’s okay if their interests don’t line up with a subject list.
It’s okay to pause. To pivot. To rest.
What matters is that they feel safe to grow.
That they’re curious.
That they’re connected.
That they’re becoming.
So let’s take a breath. Step back. And remember that we’re not running a race—we’re walking alongside our teens as they journey towards themselves.
That’s the long game. And it’s so, so worth it.
Want to dive deeper into this way of thinking?
Keep an eye out for more reflections from the summit, or join us inside our membership where we unpack this kind of learning (and unlearning) together—one honest conversation at a time.
PS: Got a Soon-to-Be Teen at Home?
If your family is exploring homeschooling through the middle years and beyond, you might love the…
Teen Homeschooling Summit
15 + Recorded Workshops ready to watch!
3 MONTHS ACCESS TO RECORDINGS STILL AVALABLE!!
In 15+ workshops run by experienced Homeschooling parents, designed for homeschoolers stepping into or in those preteen and teen years. It’s a chance to hear real stories, spark new ideas, and feel supported as you walk a path that’s a little different—but filled with possibility.
You’re not alone, and neither are they.