HOMESCHOOLING TIPS THAT WORK! (PART 5 OF 12)

How many "Feelings Words" do you know?

Teaching Social-Emotional Skills Alongside Academics

Reading, writing, and arithmetic matter. So does knowing how to manage your feelings, resolve conflict, and treat people with kindness. The great news? You can teach both — at the same time, every day.

Here's how to weave social-emotional learning into your homeschool naturally:

1. Start the day with a check-in. Before opening a single textbook, ask your child: How are you feeling today? Give them the words and the space to answer honestly. This one habit builds self-awareness, trust, and emotional vocabulary over time.

2. Use academics as a mirror. Every history lesson, science discovery, or math challenge is an opportunity to ask: How would you have handled this? What would you have done differently? Learning becomes personal — and memorable.

3. Name the skill when you see it. When your child shows empathy, patience, or perseverance, stop and name it. "That was compassion. That was courage." What gets named gets repeated.

📌 Free Resource: The Choose Love Enrichment Program offers a completely free Pre-K through 12th grade SEL curriculum at ChooseLove.org.

📖 Bonus: The Adventures of Tommy Squirrel and Friends naturally opens conversations about responsibility and making good choices. Grab your free ebook (PDF) on the Blog Page at DrJeanWright.com.