I’ve already gone through numerous phases in my little journey of homeschooling. I started out in the research phase. I was looking at all of the blogs, social media accounts, and Youtube channels that I could find. Then I’d end up trying to copy someone else’s style of learning, their space, or the curriculum they used. There were many moments of frustration and there still are. It’s been a major learning experience for me but each year has given me more confidence in what works for my family and the way I homeschool. I’ve realized there are a lot of things I’ve let go of as I’ve matured in my homeschooling journey.
7 Things I’ve Stopped Doing as a Homeschooling Mom
Listening to People Who Mock Public Schools
I may not be happy with the state of many American public schools, but I’m not going to go along with people who put down others who send their children to public schools. There are people in the homeschooling community who compare public schools to jails or talk down about the public school system. My mother was a public school teacher for over 30 years. I went to public school and I know that children are able to thrive in a public school setting. I’ll never know when I will have to put my children in public schools. It depends on our phase of life or family emergencies. As a homeschooling parent, we should try our best to help all educators even if they are different from us.
Buying Curricula That I Need to Print
I’ve wasted large amounts of paper and ink on curricula that I need to print. I’ve learned that I’m the type of person who needs hard copies instead of digital products. Buying binders has helped me but I still can’t get into the right system of organization and papers just end up everywhere.
Making a Big Deal About Morning Time
The homeschooling community has made a big deal about morning time. Thanks to Instagram, I used to believe most families have this magical morning time experience where their mom reads to them, they sing together, recite poetry, and serve tea. That may be true for some families, but social media never shows the truth. It’s not always realistic or doable for families with small children. We start homeschooling later and usually start with chilling, coloring, and playing with toys. I no longer have a set agenda for the morning time because that was very stressful. I know things may change as the children get older.
Follow Unrealistic Social Media Accounts for Inspiration
Many homeschooling parents turn to social media for inspiration. We’ve all seen these aesthetically pleasing accounts with beautiful nature books and organized homes with no toys in sight. The truth is that many of these photos are staged! It wasn’t until I started getting into blogging that I realize that most people are making money from posts like this and their whole goal is to make you feel inadequate so that you can buy what they are promoting. They are not showing the whole picture and using them for inspiration will only be toxic for my homeschooling journey.
Buying Expensive Planners Specifically for Teachers or Homeschoolers
There are many amazing homeschooling planners out there! Several creators have put a lot of love and work into them. I’ve bought a few that I like but I’ve never ended up fully completing one. I’ve found that using an academic planner from Target and a simple journal works best for me. I love to have space to write everything out and plan in a way that suits my own family’s unique needs. Additionally, it saves me a lot of money. We are a one-income family and I’d rather save that money for field trips or books.
Trying to Do it All in One Day
There was a time when I thought I needed to do every subject every day. It was stressful and frustrating. I’d end my day completely exhausted. Then I remembered how in my son’s Montessori school they focused on a particular subject for as long as they needed. I started alternating days with a reading focus, foreign language focus, and math focus. This has worked so much better for me and I’ve not felt as stressed.
Making My Whole Identity About Being a Homeschooling Mom
Anyone who knows me understands that I’m very passionate about homeschooling. Sometimes I’ve let the “homeschooling mom” identity consume me. I have to remind myself that I have my own interest outside of homeschooling. I’m a mother and wife who enjoys reading, writing, and traveling. I have many things that make me happy in life. I don’t fit into one category.
