Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.

-Chinese proverb

I hear from so many mothers that they feel like they’re ‘failing’ at homeschooling their children. Other fears I hear are anxiety, worry, panic and disappointment. And, along with these are a sense of tackling all this on their own. Their own self-doubts can trigger a spiral downward throughout the day. The children begin to push back and refuse to do ‘school’ work. Feeding off each other, the harmonious homeschool dynamic can then get lost in the whirlwind. Thoughts of giving up and sending the children back to public school become louder.

Yes – homeschooling can feel overwhelming at the beginning and you’ll get through that phase if you stick with it.  All meaningful accomplishments come with challenges, dedication and persistence.  Know that all homeschool mothers go through these struggles from time to time.  It’s not unusual.  And, you’re not alone in this.  I think it’d be just about impossible for any mother to breeze through years of homeschooling without that occasional moment of feeling like she’s doing it all wrong.  

When this happens, give yourself a break.  Let your children spend time engaged in their favorite activities (preferably without screens).  Take a few deep breaths.  Re-ground yourself.  Allow yourself some time off and take a walk outside or exercise to work out the stress.  Whatever helps you to relax so that you can think more clearly.  Remember all the reasons why you chose to homeschool in the first place.  

Deep down, you know that you can do this.  You really are the best teacher for your children.  Who else could possibly care more about your children and their future than their mother?  

So, is this a small blip on your journey or is this something bigger that needs a remedy?  

Could it be the curriculum?  Are you happy with it?  Are your children excited about the way they’re learning?  Maybe there needs to be an adjustment.  I remember trying a number of different learning methodologies before we found our rhythm.  

Are you allowing your children to progress at their own pace?  Pushing a child to learn material and concepts that are too far advanced may block the natural enjoyment of learning.  Are you spending too much time on topics that hold no interest for your child?  

Is the schedule too rigid?  When a child is laser focused on a topic or project, why not allow him to spend uninterupted time to get lost in this?  It’s teaching her how enjoyable learning can be. 

Does your child need more physical movement?  Or, hands-on experience?  I always believe it’s best to ditch those printable worksheets and allow for creativity – whatever that means.

When we face a block or slight set-back, it’s simply a time to reassess, adjust and move forward with confidence.

I learned an amazing amount of patience during that first year of homeschooling. It certainly is much easier to send the children away for the day and have calm and quiet for many hours. However, now that we’ve completed our homeschooling journey, I really miss those days and would never replace that with anything else I could’ve done with my time and energy.