Have I mentioned that both of my children are strong willed? Each in their own little beautiful/infuriating ways. Little Bear (the oldest) is very passive aggressive. He’ll just not “hear/understand” what it is you want him to do unless he is strongly motivated by bribes/fear to pay attention (::cough:: just like his daddy ::cough::). Little Pig is more like me, he’ll scream and through a big ‘ol fit till he gets what he wants. I mean dayuhm can that boy throw a fit like nothing I’ve ever seen. So my question, dear readers is this: How do you homeschool strong willed children without breaking their will?
As a public school teacher I’d break those broncs. It was my way or else. YaknowwhatImean? But I knew they were getting their individualism stoked elsewhere. I was teaching the valuable lesson of you always have to follow someones rules whether you like them (the rules or the person) or not. But I want my boys to be strong willed but still do what I say. So… uhm how does a girl do that? Right now it goes something like this.
Me: Let’s do XYZ
Little Bear: does something else
Me: I said we are doing this now, we’ll do whateveritishewantstodo when we are done
Little Bear: Excited running around/frantically playing/trying to do something else
Me: One
Little Bear: Excited running around/frantically playing/trying to do something else
Two: Two
Little Bear: SIGH/pout/sits down
Me: Ok ::insert instructions::
Little Bear: spazzes out and pretends not to understand
Me: Ok we’re doing this now. Stop.. STOP..::me being loud:: blah blah blah he finally does it
So, I don’t actually yell (so I’ve been told) but to me when I get that ‘tone’ and raise my voice it is yelling. I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to constantly be telling him no and fussing at him.
Ok awesome homeschool moms with more experience/patience/awesomeness than me. Tell me what to do. Please 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have strong willed children too
With my oldest, it was a matter of her seeing me lose it (( sadly so ) Once I had my son I knew I needed to change this tatic. My son is strong willed as well, but he also likes seeing mommy happy so it caves when I say pretty please What I have discovered over the years is if you teach things of interest they are more willing to participate. For instants you can teach math by baking cakes, or improve reading by letting them pick out the books. Let them decided if they rather learn about frogs or cats, Indians or Dinosaurs. Learning isn’t just Black and white 
HTH Good Luck!
Keri- A homeschooling mom of 2 who is happy to cook, clean, and even do windows… just don’t ask me to be my kids’creative writing tutor
Hi Keri, thanks for stopping by! Yes, I try the you are making mommy sad tactic and it kind of works. As for letting him choose what he wants to do. I kind of do that but there are some things we just *have* to do, ya know?