If you’re a frustrated homeschool mom, I’ll be straight: homeschool is no panacea to prevent your challenges.
“Some newcomers to homeschooling are likely to view it as a panacea for educational problems or as an antidote to the malaise of schools. What they find, however, is that school at home is no miracle remedy. The romantic notion of educating one’s own children soon gives way to the reality: homeschooling is work.”
David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars
If you’re a frustrated homeschool mom, I’m going to be straight: your challenges can be addressed with intention and effort but there is no panacea, persistence is required.
Guterson continues, “It is rewarding to work when things go right, full of satisfaction for all involved, but like all teaching and all learning, it makes a great variety of demands and is freighted with difficulties.”
“Homeschooling, in short, has its own complexities, its own dilemmas, and issues. Those who endure it (many don’t) are realistic about their abilities and reasonable in their expectations. They suffer few illusions about themselves and persist diligently.”
I’ve found it amusing to hear some homeschooling parents’ solutions to their parenting frustrations: some days I’m tempted to stop the next passing yellow bus and get the kids on it. Been there, considering during our homeschooled life.
But since I started my children’s education by sending them on the big yellow bus, I know that school is no panacea for parenting frustrations.
In fact, it’s really just temporarily stalling them for a few hours while a child sits in a classroom across town. The child returns home, and the parenting challenges resume.
On the flipside, homeschooling provides me loads of time to ponder those parenting challenges, to really observe my children, and observe me and how I respond to them.
Still, an abundance of time alone is no solution. It’s persistence that gets us to our goals.
Thankfully it’s not about natural aptitudes or fortitudes. My parenting inadequacies would nearly have done me in at the beginning of this journey if I’d thought my skills or aptitudes would have brought me through. I’ve had to challenge my thoughts all the way through.
An open, willing, humble spirit to learn what needs to be learned and a willingness to work through whatever needs to be worked through–that’s what’ll get me to the end.
Persistence will pay. In between those challenging moments, though, I’ll choose to be present and continue to capture all the benefits of this truly charmed life.
Grappling with Overwhelm Journaling Workbook
Journal questions can aid in your self-exploration, to get curious about what your reasons for overwhelm might be. They can be a self-coaching tool to help you discover the barriers getting in the way of your homeschool life so you can show up on purpose in your homeschool and have homeschool satisfaction. This 19-page self-coaching workbook will be your best tool to overcome overwhelm.
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