Choosing A Homeschool Senior Year Project is a great way to help your child launch into adulthood after graduation with a job skill or their own small business. Investing in a talent that will benefit them in multiple ways is important.

The most important thing that both you and your young adult child should be doing is praying for God’s will and direction. How can your child use their talents for the glory of God while also earning an income to provide for themselves and their future family?

These are specific projects that focus on building a small business or job skill that is based on experience/hard work and does not require a college degree. Scroll down to read all about our eldest child’s senior year project!

I’m sure you have already been investing in minor studies that have contributed towards developing life skills and business ideas, but there are several reasons I want to encourage you to add a major study with a life skills project to your child’s last year of home education – in other words, now is the time to invest in their main skill/talent (if you haven’t already). I also have a few ideas to start you and your child in the right direction when discussing choices.

This applies to both your sons and daughters. A life skill in a specific profession is useful whether your child is a man providing for his family or a woman caring for her family.

Choosing A Homeschool Senior Year Project

First, I have a list of the benefits of funding a business idea for your child’s senior year:

• it will let them know you care about their interests, hobbies, hopes, dreams, plans, and goals
• your financial support will provide them with an opportunity they may otherwise never have
• if your child does not desire a career that requires a college degree (doctor, etc.) then this is significantly cheaper than sending them to college “just because”
• you become a mentor and partner in their career plans
• you are helping them graduate with plans in place, limiting idleness
• they are still under your care and supervision while developing lifelong business skills and talents
• they may graduate high school with a small business or the skills needed to get a good job doing something they enjoy
• it gives them a sense of purpose and something tangible to work towards
• it replaces irrelevant electives or unneeded subjects during their last year of school
• they get to follow a passion before they carry the full weight of their responsibilities

Resources

Do-It-Yourself Garden Research Handbook –  Homeschooling Science, Nature & Home Economics
All About Oceans – Marine Biology Science, Research, Geography, Drawing & Language Arts
Learn Any Foreign Language: Handbook for Students 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th Grade
Life Skills Activity Book 
The Eclectic Homeschooler’s Plan Book: Planner and Organizer – A 180 Day Plan 

Second, let’s look at some options your son/daughter may choose from:

• blacksmithing
• writing (becoming an author)
• building (tiny house)
• piano/music (teacher)
• woodworking
• video/podcast editing (YouTube channel or podcast)
• baking (special occasion)
• blogging (online mentoring & community leader)
• sewing/handicrafts
• tutoring other homeschoolers in their favorite subject
• painting/artist
• craftsman/bushcraft
• culinary arts
• farming (hone in on a specific interest)
• digital content creation (PDFs, ebooks, etc.)
• dog trainer
• small engine repair/mechanics
• landscaping
• nannying
• gardening (greenhouse/nursery manager)
• photography
• off-grid solar power technician
• rabbit breeder
• natural health (nutrition, herbs, etc.)

The possibilities are almost endless. The main focus is choosing a skill/talent to develop that does not require a college degree to implement as a business/job.

More Resources for Parenting Teens

Beautiful Girlhood
Thoughts for Young Men
Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men
Boyhood & Beyond
A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning

Important things you should consider when Choosing A Homeschool Senior Year Project:

• intent – remember that you are not funding foolish behavior or goals, but rather realistic and God-honoring intentions
• cost – plan on $500+ and start saving ahead of time
• time – think about how much you are going to allot to this project and what is a realistic expectation for both you and your child
• mentors – look into whether there are trustworthy adults available to offer advice or tips
• contract – you may not need to, but you might want to have a simple contract between yourself and your child outlining a measure of commitment

What It Looks Like In Real Life

For our oldest son, we invested in a small blacksmithing setup (tip: buy during Black Friday sales for the best price). He has been interested in it for a while and we wanted to let him do it as a hobby while developing a skill in craftsmanship.

We included all of the basic tools needed (you can get the entire setup HERE):

• coal forge
• fan
• anvil
• hammer
• tongs
• vise
• coal
• leather gloves/apron
• materials for making knives
• instructional DVDs

Heavy Duty Durable – Length 42 Inch 6 Pockets Leather Welding Apron & Welding Gloves 
Simond Store Blacksmith’s Forge with Hand Blower 
Panteao Make Ready to Survive: Blacksmithing DVD Set
Estwing –  Blacksmith’s Hammer 
Picard Hammer – Blacksmiths’ Tong 
Single Horn Anvil 55Lbs, Cast Iron Anvil Blacksmith