” Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost
Going Against Norms is Not Easy
Whenever you go against societal norms, you will face doubt or backlash. It could be religion, child-rearing, your way of eating, or how you decide to educate your child. Going against societal norms is usually the right way but it can be hard because you will feel like everyone is against you.
Homeschooling involves mindset changes, unlearning, pushing through hard days, managing burnout, sacrifices, and time. If you decide to homeschool you must equip yourself with a lot of research, studying, finding a community, and confidence. Or else, you may give in to your doubts and give up. You will need to know your WHY.
My Favorite Resources for Building Homeschool Confidence
- Podcast- The Brave Writer Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-writer/id523508661
- Book- Brave Learner by Julie Bogart – https://amzn.to/48pD1Wy
- Book-The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to Homeschool by Ainsley Arment https://amzn.to/3rppM7w
- Social Media- Social media can be used in a positive way. Facebook groups are a great way to find support for homeschooling. You can even find local homeschooling groups through many Facebook groups. YouTube has a lot of videos on how to deal with homeschool problems, creating routines, and more.
Why Do People Give up On Homeschooling?
- They Don’t Believe in Themselves– Many people don’t believe they have the ability to properly educate their children. This is what society has taught us. While in reality, we know our child best. We were there to help them talk, teach them how to walk, potty training, and more. We are more than capable of educating them. We need a mindset change. There are so many ways to outsource hard subjects thanks to the internet. You can utilize YouTube to learn almost anything. Programs like Khan Academy are free and wonderful for teaching a variety of subjects. Additionally, there are curriculums that teach you what to say. You will be surprised how much you learn alongside your child.
- Difficult Days and Burn Out- We all have bad days, which is normal! There will be moments in homeschooling where you are exhausted, the kids are cooperating, everyone is fighting, and nothing goes as you planned. First of all, you need to make sure you deschool. Deschooling is the adjustment period a child goes through when leaving school and beginning homeschooling. We need to change our mindset and embrace the HOME in homeschooling. Learning is so much more than sitting at a desk and doing worksheets. Allow yourself to let learning happen naturally. Go on nature walks, field trips to the museum, and watch documentaries together. Spend time changing what traditional schooling taught you that education should look like. Most importantly, take the time to build a connection with your children. You will also need to make sure that you are taking care of yourself mentally and physically. Start to recognize the things that trigger you. For example, I know that I have to take it slow during my period or else I will become very exhausted and angry. I usually chart my cycle and plan to do more documentaries and outside time during this week.
- Lack of support- as mentioned, when you are doing things out of the norm you will face backlash. This backlash may be from family, pediatricians, therapists, or people at the grocery store. Sometimes their comments may have you questioning it all! That’s why you need to find a community of people to turn to when you start doubting. This could be other homeschooling moms you know in person or online through social media. Facebook groups are great for this!
You’ve got this! Don’t give up!
“The best things in life don’t come easy, but those things are the ones worth the sacrifice.”
Adriana Locke
