When meeting a new acquaintance, people often ask what I do.
When I answer that I homeschool my kids, I am often met with curious looks. Instinctively, I want to defend and explain to myself, all the merits and benefits, and freedoms of homeschooling.
And I do. But there are disadvantages of homeschooling too.
So what would I say are the disadvantages of homeschooling?
Non-homeschool parents know it intuitively, as their jaws drop to discover I homeschool.
The look on their faces often tells me, she is NUTS.
They might think I’m nuts because…
- The kitchen floor never stays clean,
- I get to see a lot more kids arguing and complaining,
- I get to see my ugly side more often,
- I don’t get to be in my home alone, let alone in the bathroom…
- The bathroom always looks like a college dorm bathroom.
- I own too many books and they are everywhere.
- I spend my waking hours relearning math concepts.
- There is always a homeschool experiment on the kitchen table.
- There is a rats’ nest of erasers, pens, markers, scissors, Lego, or Barbie shoes tucked in the sofa (and hither and yon).
- No one ever knows where the scissors are (oh right, they are under the sofa cushions).
- Computer toner is always on the “to purchase” list.
- I have to learn to multitask my thoughts because I’m usually thinking my thoughts and listening to someone else’s.
Would the non-homeschooling mom be right? Yup, sometimes. Because there are disadvantages to homeschooling.
There are definitely those days that make homeschooling seem like a less-than-happy making life choice.
But we also know that we get to enjoy all the freedoms and the upside of homeschooling.
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Teresa Wiedrick
I help overwhelmed homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
Love it!
I had to giggle as I read this one! Yup, hello ugly side! Hehe