Top 5 Homeschooling Mistakes to Avoid for Ontario Parents
Homeschooling can be a rewarding and empowering choice for families in Ontario, offering flexibility and the chance to tailor education to your child's needs; however, it's easy to make missteps along the way. In this EZ-Teach blog, we’ll explore five of the most common homeschooling mistakes Ontario parents make and provide some practical advice to help you avoid them.
1) Lack of Structure and Routine
2) Not Meeting Ontario’s Curriculum Expectations
4) Overemphasizing Academics at the Expense of Enjoyment
Are you or someone you know thinking about homeschooling for the first time? Check out our other resources and blog articles, or contact us if you have a question or wish to chat with someone.
Avoid one of the biggest homeschooling mistakes — making it all about worksheets and textbooks.
Incorporate hands-on activities and creative projects to keep learning fun and flexible for both you and your child.
(Image Source: Jan Kopřiva)
1) Lack of Structure and Routine
Maintain structure and routine by using a planner like our free Homeschool Planner!
(Image Source: EZ-Teach)
The Mistake
One of the biggest challenges in homeschooling is maintaining a consistent daily routine. Without a structured schedule, children may lose focus, fall behind, or develop poor learning habits.
Why It Matters
Children thrive on predictability. A clear daily structure supports discipline, academic progress, and a healthy balance between school and home life.
How to Avoid It
Start by creating a flexible but consistent daily timetable that includes learning blocks, breaks, and creative time. If you find it difficult to stay organized, use a planner, apps, or daily reminders. In fact, we have a free homeschool planner you can download here.
Then, each day, begin with a short “morning meeting” to set goals and expectations. You and your kids can discuss what the goals are and the steps to achieving them. You can also help answer questions before they arise. Again, you can use a planner or digital tool to track weekly objectives and progress.
Another reason people might fail to create structure and routine in their lives is that they struggle with time management. In our other blog, Time Management Tips for Homeschooling Parents, we’ve provided some tips that can help you take control of your time and help instill some good habits in your children as well.
2) Not Meeting Ontario’s Curriculum Expectations
Click here or on the image above to explore Ontario’s curriculum guidelines.
(Image Source: Government of Ontario)
The Mistake
While Ontario doesn’t require homeschoolers to follow the provincial curriculum exactly, completely ignoring it can lead to educational gaps, especially in core subjects like math, English, and science.
Why It Matters
Curriculum alignment helps ensure your child is learning age-appropriate material and keeps the door open for smooth re-entry into public school or post-secondary education.
How to Avoid It
First, review the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum guidelines (Note: It is available online here for all grades and subjects). We suggest that you use it as a reference to guide your homeschooling plan, even if you teach it in your own way. If you need help teaching certain curriculum, consider using curriculum-aligned resources available here at EZ-Teach or via other sources. You can also consult an Ontario-certified teacher for feedback and helpful insight. Additionally, if you are concerned about teaching specific subjects, you can look for Co-op groups or tutors that may provide assistance.
3) Neglecting Socialization
Organizing field trips and outings are a great way to help your kids socialize with other homeschoolers.
(Image Source: Los Muertos Crew)
The Mistake
Some homeschooling parents unintentionally isolate their children by focusing solely on academic work at home.
Why It Matters
Social interaction is essential for developing communication skills, emotional intelligence, and friendships.
How to Avoid It
One of the most popular ways that homeschoolers participate in social activities is to join a local homeschool co-op or Facebook group. This allows you and your children to connect with other families. As we said earlier, you can also swap teaching roles with members of the group as many people have different strengths and interests. One parent may want to teach science, while another would love to teach music. It helps to share the teaching load if possible.
Another natural way to ensure your child socializes with other kids is to enroll them in extracurricular activities like music lessons, sports, or volunteer programs.
Additionally, you can organize field trips or park meetups with other homeschoolers and friends, even if it isn’t formally arranged through your official homeschool group.
4) Overemphasizing Academics at the Expense of Enjoyment
Let your kids take the lead! Help them choose a hands-on project they're excited about — it's a simple way to start project-based learning at home. Learn more in the video above from Teachings in Education.
The Mistake
In an effort to “keep up” with traditional school standards, some parents unintentionally turn homeschooling into a rigid, joyless experience.
Why It Matters
Children learn best when they’re engaged. Overloading them with worksheets or lectures can lead to burnout for both child and parent. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we’re burnt out, so try to be intentional about avoiding this one in your daily routines!
How to Avoid It
To avoid burnout, incorporate hands-on activities, nature walks, experiments, and storytelling. Let your child pursue interests through project-based learning and unit studies or simply build in downtime for creative play, reading, and rest. You don’t need to feel guilty for building these activities into your daily activities as it will actually enhance learning and memory.
5) Trying to Do It All Alone
Looking for ways to keep your homeschooler social and engaged? Check out the free kids’ programs at your local library — a great way to meet other families and build community!
(Image Source: Anastasia Shuraeva)
The Mistake
Homeschooling can feel isolating, especially for new parents who try to manage every subject, plan, and activity without outside help.
Why It Matters
Burnout and self-doubt can undermine even the most committed parent’s success.
How to Avoid It
As we said in the title of this section, don’t try to homeschool alone. Build a support network of homeschoolers, tutors, or educational consultants. If you feel like you need to expand your network, take advantage of free community resources like public libraries, museums, and online workshops.
And don’t be afraid to outsource certain subjects or use online curriculum tools, as many Ontario-based platforms are available - just like us here at EZ-Teach. We offer online French and can connect you to tutors who specialize in literacy!
Final Thoughts From EZ-Teach
Homeschooling in Ontario offers families incredible freedom, but also requires intentional planning. Avoiding these five common homeschooling mistakes — lack of structure, curriculum gaps, social isolation, rigid academics, and going it alone — will help set you and your child up for a fulfilling and well-rounded educational journey.
Whether you're just getting started or refining your approach, remember: you don’t have to homeschool alone — there’s a community of support, resources, and experience waiting to help… even right here at EZ-Teach. For more advice or support, contact us. We are happy to help or direct you to someone else who can!
