Hey homeschoolers!
Welcome to the The Homeschool Sanity Show, where it’s all about less frustration and more confidence in your homeschool and parenting.
I’m your host, Dr. Melanie Wilson—Christian psychologist, homeschool mom, and author of story-based curriculum kids love.
And today, we’re talking about one of the biggest sources of frustration for homeschool parents…
👉 kids who don’t take initiative.
If you feel like:
- you have to remind your kids of everything
- they wait to be told what to do
- or nothing gets started without you
this episode is for you.
Listen to the Podcast Watch on YouTube
Because what looks like laziness or lack of motivation…
is usually something else entirely.
Let’s dive in.
I want to start today with a question that might feel a little too familiar.
Have you ever thought:
“Why do I have to tell my kids everything?”
“Why can’t they just see what needs to be done?”
“Why don’t they start their work without me reminding them…again?”
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
In fact, it's one of the most common frustrations we have as homeschool parents…and it's it’s exhausting.
Because when kids don’t take initiative, what happens?
👉 You become the manager of everything.
👉 You carry the mental load.
👉 And you start to feel like if you don’t say it… it won’t get done.
That’s frustrating.
But what if I told you that a lack of initiative isn't necessarily a character problem?
It may be a skills problem.
And that’s actually good news for us.
What Initiative Actually Is
Let’s define initiative in a simple way.
Initiative means:
👉 Noticing what needs to be done—and acting. Without being told.
Now, when we define it that way, we can start to see why our kids struggle.
Because initiative actually requires several underlying skills:
Awareness (noticing what needs to be done)
Planning (knowing what step to take next)
Motivation (getting started)
Confidence (believing they can do it)
If any one of those is missing… initiative breaks down.
Why This Feels So Personal
Here’s where it gets tricky for us as parents. When kids don’t take initiative, it feels like:
- They don’t care
- They’re being lazy
- They’re ignoring us
But much of the time?
They’re overwhelmed… unsure… or simply untrained.
And when we interpret it as defiance, we respond with:
- more reminders
- more frustration
- even verbalizing our assessment of their character
Which—unfortunately—doesn’t build initiative. It actually shuts it down.
Initiative in Our Family
I had kids who didn't take initiative to clean. I spent time teaching them how to clean but didn't teach them to notice when something needed to be cleaned. It seemed like they should just know. But the truth is, they weren't thinking about the value of a clean house like I was. They were likely thinking about games, sports, and friends. If I had it to do over again, I would have taught them to notice when something needed to be cleaned or put away and I would have given ample rewards to motivate them in the beginning.
I also had a kid who did take initiative, but not in the way I wanted. Without telling me, my teen called the tennis coach of our local high school and asked what was required for him as a homeschooler to be on the team. That’s something we often forget to teach our kids. Initiative isn’t just “do whatever you think is best.”
It’s:
👉 notice
👉 act
👉 and ask if you need permission
I made it clear that my son should have asked first. He did end up being on the tennis team. And his initiative was a blessing when it came to applying for college scholarships. He handled the whole process.
Why Kids Wait to Be Told
But many kids wait to be told what to do. Why?
Here are a few common reasons:
1. They don’t know what “done” looks like
If expectations aren’t crystal clear, kids hesitate.
2. They’ve been corrected a lot
If they’ve heard “That’s not how I wanted it,” they may stop trying.
3. They feel overwhelmed
When everything feels big, they don’t know where to start.
4. They’re used to being directed
If we’ve always told them what to do, they haven’t practiced deciding.
What Actually Helps
So what can we do to help our kids build initiative muscles? Let me give you a few practical strategies.
1. Make the invisible visible
Instead of assuming they “should know,” say:
“Here’s what I would notice in this situation…”
You’re training their awareness.
2. Start small
Initiative grows with success.
Instead of:
“Take care of your schoolwork,”
Try:
“What’s the first thing you can do right now?”
3. Allow imperfect action
If we correct everything, kids stop initiating.
Let some things be “good enough.”
(This is hard for us perfectionists—but powerful.)
4. Ask instead of tell
Instead of:
“Go start your work,”
Try:
“What do you think should be done next?”
Now our child is planning, not just obeying.
5. Notice initiative when it happens
Even small things.
“I noticed you got started on your math without being reminded.”
That builds identity:
👉 “I’m someone who takes initiative.”
A Mindset Shift That Builds Initiative
Here’s the shift I hope you take away today:
Instead of asking:
“What’s wrong with my child?”
Ask:
“What skill is missing?”
That question changes your tone.
It changes your response.
And it changes your child’s experience.
🎁 Free Sample Lesson
If this is an area your child struggles with I want to give you something to help.
I've just completed Level 3 of Training Aliens, a fun, story-based curriulum that teaches kids social and emotional skills. I want to send you the lesson on initiative for free.
This lesson is designed to:
teach kids what initiative actually is
give them a story-based example they'll remember
and help them practice it in a simple, concrete way
Instead of lectures, kids learn through:
👉 stories
👉 modeling
👉 and practice
You can grab that free lesson in the product description here:
If you enjoy it, be sure to take advantage of launch pricing for Level 3 this week. Or grab the discounted bundle of all three levels, allowing you to choose the skills your kids need to work on first. These materials are a wonderful summer course for your kids.
Conclusion
If you’re feeling frustrated right now, I want you to hear this:
Your child’s lack of initiative is not a fixed trait.
It’s a skill that can be taught.
And you don’t have to carry the whole load forever.
With the right tools and a little patience,
you can move from:
👉 constant reminding
to
👉 growing independence
And that leads to exactly what we all want:
Less frustration… and more confidence.
Thanks for joining me today for the Homeschool Sanity Show, a production of the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.
Have a happy homeschool week!
