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Dear Homeschool Mom

Dear Homeschool Mom

Dear homeschool mom, It’s the start of a new homeschool year. You’ve got the books ordered, new pencils, pens, a laminator {you should get one}, charts and plans and incentives, your Pinterest page is bursting with all sorts of ideas and projects, and you? – you are simply ready to get started. It’s an exciting time, this year that spreads out before you, and that is why I am writing to you. I am writing to you because I want to share a bit of truth with you about this year. And what truth is that? That would be this: You will get worn out this year. Now, I’m not telling you this to burst your new start-of-the-school-year bubble. I am telling you this, as an eleven year homeschooling mom veteran, one who is starting year twelve, because every single year I reach those mornings or that months when I want to roll over, hit snooze, tear down the charts, and throw my hands in the air. Homeschooling takes work.

 

I know we see fabulous blog posts, and wrap ups, and super duper cute pins on Pinterest that make homeschooling look like it came from the pages of Family Fun magazine. The kids are all smiling, their hair is perfect {and not in the standard ponytail} and dinner is in the oven baking away while the children sit around the table making neat crafts. That’s not really every day real, sweet homeschool mom. Real is the day where you want to hit the snooze, and you race down to the laundry room to switch the clothes and dump the dry ones in a basket and are content to call it good, and then you get breakfast and cook, and pull out sticky math sheets, and change a diaper, and solve the dispute over who really is the owner of the purple mechanical pencil, and set the timer for math minutes, and answer the phone, and call today’s walk around the house your nature walk and science lesson, and you load everyone in the car for music, and listen to books on cd, and you grab your coffee, and well, you just keep going. Even though you are tired and worn out and wish to throw in this towel that you just can’t even find. {It’s probably in the laundry}. That’s real.

All the plans and excitement and joy over starting a new year is excellent. I have it as well — there is energy in the newness. So take a minute and remember this day and this feeling. Remember why you chose to homeschool. Have your kids write down things they are excited to learn this year. Tuck those words in a notebook and pull them out when you have that inevitable worn out day. Being worn out is normal. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t cut out to homeschool – it’s just real life. Plan for it now. Stock up on books, and educational videos, and make a file on pinterest with worn-out-day activities. And, give yourself grace. Sweet homeschool mom, we’re in this together. Every single day when we get up and slap our hair in a ponytail and teach those children – there is another mom somewhere doing the same thing. And…  It’s amazing.

May this year be a year of joy, excitement, learning and grace. Grab your pencils, lesson plans, and books. Let’s go. May the homeschool year begin.

Rachel lives in the half-a-year frozen land of Minnesota. She’s a Christian home schooling momma to seven fabulous kids, and is the wife to an amazing cancer-surviving husband. In January 2011 her youngest son, Samuel, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so you’ll also find her passionate about gluten free living and Celiac Disease awareness. Between home schooling, blogging, running her family, and, of course, drinking coffee, you’ll also find her driving her girls to classical ballet or her boys to soccer. She’s passionate about seeking joy and living a faith filled, intentional life. You can find Rachel blogging at Finding Joy.
Read more of Rachel’s articles at Hip Homeschool Moms.

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19 Comments

  1. What a great reminder. I love the idea of having everyone write down at the beginning of the year the things they are excited to learn about. GREAT idea. Definitely going to use it.

  2. We are starting our first day of homeschool…ever…tomorrow. Thank you for this post, it is encouraging, real and insightful. I am so blessed to have a group of homeschooling moms to support and encourage me. I am blessed too, to have the homeschool/blog moms encourage me too! God’s on my side, He’s called our family to this homeschool adventure and I look forward to learning, growing and changing on the good days and the bad 🙂

    1. Your post was such a blessing!!! We are beginning our first homeschool year as well!! We were called to do this and we are following in faith!! We start next Monday and I thank you for reminding me that God is on our side.
      God bless,

  3. What a great letter. We are starting our first real year, and I am so excited, but I know that moment will come when I am feeling run down. Thank you for helping me realize that is okay!

  4. Thank you for reminding me why we’re doing this again for the 10th year. And thank you for being real! I’ve done every one of the crazy things you described, and more! Except for one, which I’ll fix tomorrow, and I’ll ask my girls to write down what they are excited about learning (or at least looking forward to without dread?) this year. They are 11 and 14 and often don’t admit to anything about school being exciting . Okay, my 14-year-old reading over my shoulder says she’s excited about writing and reading Romeo and Juliet! A good start!

  5. It’s been 20 years for me, and I still found a wealth of good in this little essay. Thanks, from one mom of 7 to another and a joint heir on this sojourn, waiting patiently for the crystal river.

  6. Excellent advice. If I actually take it, I can use it on the days when I stand before my husband in angry tears, saying “I’m just not cut out for this!” And perhaps I can avoid making my poor children feel like they are such burdens to me.

    “Sweet homeschool mom, we’re in this together. Every single day when we get up and slap our hair in a ponytail and teach those children – there is another mom somewhere doing the same thing. And it? It’s amazing.”

    This could be a prayer, no?

  7. I loved this! I so needed to hear this. I am juggling a job along with homeschooling and I already feel wore out, we start up again next Monday. I just need encouragement and you have given me that. Blessings from God. Thank you for sharing!

  8. The beauty of homeschooling is that the whole process is custom fit. Your schedule is your schedule – make it work for you and your family. I have been worn-out, burned-out, tuned out. I always seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him for that joy, direction, and purpose he gave me at the beginning. He has ALWAYS answered my prayer. Reminds me of the Scripture in Revelation where the Lord admonishes the church in Ephesus to return to her first love – Jesus Christ. Sometimes we need reminding and it’s OK. Thanks Rachel for a wonderful reality check.

  9. I laughed so hard that I cried over your description of a real homeschool day. That’s where I am right now. Your post was an encouraging reminder. I was starting to wonder if I am cut out for all of this.

  10. I want to say thank you. I am about to start my second year of homeschool with my son. I am dreading getting him back into a routine after a long summer but know its going to be worth it. As I sit here and stew over my perfectly written plans I find myself looking online to make sure I have everything covered. While I want to give him the most amazing experience everyday, I know that’s not possible. I am so relieved to know that I am not the only one out there. I am human and can only do so much, but sometimes all a mommy knows is the one with the superhero cape who somehow manage to get everything done. Thank you so much for putting it in black and white that it’s ok to be human 🙂

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