5 Ways to Switch From Mom to Teacher

If you are homeschooling your children, you know that it can be challenging to switch between the roles of being a mom and being your children’s educator. As some of us have discovered, it is not easy persuading the kids to take showers, much less, practice their math.

As a homeschooling parent, I think it is necessary that my children know the difference between ‘Teacher-Mom’ and ‘Mom-Mom.’ Making this distinction can avoid tantrums during class and help your children better absorb what you are teaching them.

Not all homeschool moms will agree with me on this issue. And that is entirely okay because there is no single “right” way to homeschool.

Here are 5 methods you can try that might help separate your role as a teacher from your role as a parent. These are especially effective for younger children, between the ages of 3 to 10.

1) Wear Something that Identifies You as The Teacher

This is probably the easiest way to show your children that it’s “homeschooling time.” Choose something that stands out and that you can wear every day. It can be a necklace, a hat, a jacket or something even as simple as a pin. When you put this on, it shows that you switched to being their teacher.

It is important to remember to only use this when you are really their teacher, especially in the beginning. When you take it off, your children will know that you are Mom again.

2) Avoid Having Conversations that Your Child Wouldn’t Have at School

Given that during class times you are not their mom, it is important to make sure you do not have Mommy conversations. Topics such as family, holidays, bedtime, etc. should be off limits.

This will help your child treat you more like a teacher and keep to school-related topics. This can be difficult, but saying things like “Let’s talk about that later” and “That’s a topic for after class” can help divert the conversation back to school related topics.

3) Stick to a Clear Schedule

When you have a clear schedule, your child will begin to understand when it’s Mom time and when it's Teacher time. If they know when class starts, they will expect a switch to teacher and will begin to treat you like one.

It’s important to keep a fairly regular routine as this helps to provide your children with a visual representation of the schedule so that they can see for themselves when it's time to switch to Teacher time.

4) Body Language is VERY Important

As a mom, you want to hug your child, however, as a teacher, you wouldn't do that. When you switch from Mom to Teacher, your body language should too. This helps your children identify which role you are in and how they should be reacting to you.

They may not appreciate this in the beginning because they are used to you being their mom, but they will adapt very quickly.

5) Have your Children Call You Something Else

Not all parents are comfortable with this method, but it works! Choose a different “name” that can be used when you want to switch to being a teacher. It can be something as simple as ‘Ms. Mom’. When your children change the way they address you, they will know that you are no longer their mom, and they will treat you like their teacher.