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Homeschooling your young adolescent carries with it some of the challenges of puberty but it also is a time period where some fruits of earlier work can be harvested. Here are a few points to consider in homeschooling your 12-14 year old.

• Independence Take advantage of you child's growing need for independence and greater need for self-expression by having them work on independent projects. Have a good assignment book for them that lists your independent requirements for schoolwork and let them do some of their own research to complete these assignments. With guidance, they can use the Internet as an effective research tool and read books they select from your local library on the given topic. You may still have to help them with an outline of basic points you want covered but they should be able to produce a rough draft that you can review for a final draft and presentation. Grammar and spelling mistakes can then be part of a self study program for a vocabulary quiz or independent work in grammar worksheets.

• Challenge Your middle school child needs material both to challenge and inspire them. They should not be babied yet their feelings need to be actively engaged and stirred by examples from history and science and role models from sports or the arts that can keep their education alive and relevant so they do not become apathetic. They can compare and contrast examples that inspire them with what they know and can do in their own lives to reach their goals.

• Completion Your early teen now needs to learn to complete a task well whether its a house job, a properly corrected draft of a paper, or completion of a more complex project. This requires perseverance and patience in order to get the job done. Encourage your child to do their best, to stretch their comfort zone and to continue until the job is well done.

• Self-Exploration It is important at this age to give your child time to pursue their own unique interests whether its reading or horseback riding or fashion design and even more time with friends. These self- motivated interests can well become skillful activities in high school that lead to developing career interests.

• Service to the Community In about eighth grade, children should develop more of a sense of community service and volunteer somewhere that interests them. You may have already done this as a family or through your church but it is time now for the child to reach out to the greater community on their own and have a set amount of time each week or month that is devoted to volunteer service. This pattern of service should be continued throughout high school and will help the child not to be so self absorbed.

Remember that your middle schooler needs your listening ear and calm presence more than ever as they negotiate the paths of adolescence. Although it may not seem they are listening to you, they are watching you closely as a role model and often hear more than they will admit. Be sure to be an inspiring and consistent homeschooling presence for them so they can have a sense of eagerness to achieve their personal best as skillful young adults in the years ahead.