Thursday, January 28, 2016

Homeschooling Advice from Anna Duggar


Last year, we did a long interview with the gracious and humble Anna Duggar about homeschooling and parenting. Hope this excerpt is helpful for all the young homeschool moms out there!

Lily and Ellie: As a young mom, how have you navigated the homeschooling world?

Anna Duggar: After high school, I did an online Christian college program in early child education, but what has helped me the most has been taking advice from my mom, my mother-in-law, and other homeschooling veterans. It's great to learn from other women who are further down the road. I find women with teenage children who love the Lord or grandchildren who love the Lord, and I seek to learn from them. It's also important to realize that just because something worked for one family, that doesn't mean it's going to work for you.

Links to Anna's other interview responses:
Keeping kids quiet and still during church
Advice for first-time moms
Handling meltdowns in public
Anna's homeschool curriculum 
How to be a patient mom


Photos courtesy of TLC

39 comments:

  1. How is her homeschooling proceeding right now?

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  2. Anna knows school is at least partnered with real experiences.

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  3. I have to agree with Anna. The most help came from other homeschool moms. Without their knowledge or support, who knows where I would be in regards to my daughter's education.

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    1. Yes! Agree!
      It's funny I just went today on a play date with other homeschooling moms and I got a bunch of new ideas and advice from them!

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  4. Homeschooling is something I'm interested in doing, and thought this was a wonderful read. Would love to know more on it; thanks for sharing.

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  5. Exactly....well said Anna...what works for one doesn't mean it's right for the next. All families do whats right for them and its not right to compare or assume that they are the same.Also, dont believe and the criticize what you read...be smart, not gullible. Blessings☺

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    1. The first line of this post says "last year we did a long interview...with Anna." The authors of this blog are re-posting the interview that took place LAST year.

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  6. ? Is it time for Anna to be giving advice?

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    1. Just because there is a valley in your life doesn't mean you must completely shut down as a person. Anna is still a mom, and a great one, and has lots of useful knowledge on homeschooling. If she is willing to give advice to people who want to hear it, why shouldn't she. If it wasn't 'the time' I'm sure she wouldn't. She is a wise and thoughtful person. I'm grateful for role models like Anna in today's world.

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    2. Why not. She is an excellent mother and teacher to her kids. Are you saying because something awful was done to her that she can't help others. Because of what's she's is having to overcome she will be able to give great advice about many things such as homeschooling kids through a difficult time.

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    3. I would most certainly take advice from Anna any day!!!

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    4. Yes, she is a home schooling mom. Yes, she trained in child care. Has she ever done anything but be the very best mom she can be? I am interested in what she knows.

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    5. Of course she can give advice! She is sharing her own personal experiences, not claiming to be an expert.

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    6. That's a bit unfair. Just because she's suffering through a personal problem doesn't mean the Lord can't use her and work through her.

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    7. What does her husband's problems have to do with her as a homeschooling mom? She is still the same Anna and mom she always was, just with a lot of heartache she has to work through. I welcome homeschooling and parenting advice from both her and Michelle. I may not agree with everything they have to say, but I've learned a lot of wonderful things from their show.

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    8. It would be more appropriate to discuss how to deal with children who recently lost their father, for months now. I hope they got some sort of therapy for the kids. Their lives were disrupted, they were moved from a big house to a room in another house, their dad disappeared, and they are now among other kids who do have a dad present. The oldest Josh's kids must be very confused now.

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  7. Anna is such a sweet and loving person!

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  8. I would love to hear even more specifics on how Anna home schools her children. My children are around the same age. I'm sure she has lots of great ideas and ways in which she does things. She has such a wonderful and gentle spirit about her.

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  9. Some things people are saying are heartless. I pray for you. You never know when you may be the one to face something awful. I glad Anna has chosen to share her feelings and help others going through similar situations. She is sharing her testimony not seeking the spotlight. I hope people don't chase them away with their hate because I get alot of good advice from them.

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  10. Is Anna going to have to go to work to support her family since
    Josh was fired? I am a homeschooling mother and I don't understand
    how her homeschooling can go on as it usually does.

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    1. Anna has a great support group and I'm sure they are helping in every way they can! That's what family is for right?

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    2. What makes you think they don't have a tidy nest egg saved up from their TLC program? They have many family operated businesses that Josh can work with!
      I don't think Anna is worried in the least, concerning her financial situation, considering the latest problems she's facing. But through Gods guiding hand, she will have a great testimony.

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  11. I taught public school in Georgia for almost 17 years. Not every family is able to homeschool and many do not need to.

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    1. Mrs. Dunn, I agree with you. It should not be what is best for the family but what is best for the child and his/her future. I have meet homeschooled children, now adults, who are barely literate.

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  12. why do you have to home school? my kids went to public school? michelle duggar went to public school? Jimbod duggar went to a private Christian school and they seem to do ok? now they seem to turn the oppsite that the plague will get them if you do not home school ? maybe they need to address this question?

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    1. It is just what they believe. In one of the early season Michelle and some of the kids went to a public school to talk.

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    2. Considering the things public schools are teaching today, and their inept inability to discipline students, I'd say homeschooling will be the best option in a lot of parents and children's lives. Public School parents often cry, "Social Retardation," for Homeschooled children, when in truth, their anal idea of "socially correct," is a child or teen that is constantly interrupting, rude or overly zealous in public behavior.
      Just because a family decides to either school their children through public, private or at home, is that persons choice. Why question something that does not affect you?

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    3. They said they wanted family to be close to them, so they chose to homeschool. In public schools kids get influenced by others, and that's what Michelle and Jim-Bob wanted to avoid. They wanted to be the main influence on their kids.

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  13. Mary Dunn, I'd say not every family should public school either. Every family should do what works for them.

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  14. It is indeed sweet of Anna to share her advice on homeschooling. I imagine with all that is going on right now may Michelle or one of the older Duggars are helping the kids with their schooling in her time of need. I am sure Josh will go to work with the family business.

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  15. BTW, I am not being sarcastic or insulting to them, I am stating plainly the truth behind their decisions and actions.

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  16. There not saying she's unquilified because of personal problems there implying because you won't know how successful she is at it tell the children are older.

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  17. What are your views on Common Core Math? Do you think you will teach it? Btw I am a great fan and admire your strength, in first, Jesus Christ, and then, family. God Bless.

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  18. I have a question. I discovered this blog recently and there is something I don't understand. Why is Anna living with the Duggars? Don't they (Anna and Josh) have a home she could stay in with the kids? I understand she needs love and support while Josh is away, but who takes care of their home if she is not there? Isn't she able to run the household on her own while Josh is gone? Is it also because they have no income at the moment and they couldn't afford to keep the house? No judgment, just questions :)

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    1. I think they don't have any own house anymore. The house they lived in before is now occupied by Jessa and Ben, and did not belong to them, but to Duggar grandma. They bought a house in Arkansas, but then it was sold. The DC house was a rental. So, Anna does not have any place to go, and now lives with Duggars. On TV they showed how Duggars owned several other properties nearby, however, I think out of convenience Anna stayed in the girls' bedroom, so she could get help with her kids right there. Also, probably with a cheating husband who left her with 4 kids and 1 newborn out of them, Anna herself did not want to stay alone. It's better to have people around in those emotional situations.

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  19. What is your religion?

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  20. What are the conditions of Anna's homeschooling? All kids now live in one room with no privacy, with 7 other Duggar girls? I'm curious how they even can focus on anything when they 100% of the time are surrounded by so many other people. How big is that girl's bedroom, by the way?

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  21. I assume that Anna does not get child support from Josh, because they are not divorced? It's nice to know about homeschooling, but I wonder what is the source of their income? Is she being supported financially by Josh's parents?

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  22. I just adore Anna. She seems so sweet and is a great mom to her adorable kids. I would love to see more of her on Counting On.

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