Are you considering homeschooling in the fall? If so, there are a few things new homeschoolers need to know!
It is hard- Really!
There will be days when you want to quit. There will be days you will wonder WHY IN THE WORLD AM I DOING THIS?? I think that was the biggest surprise I found when I began homeschooling. People warned me, but you have no clue until you begin. Solution? Find an awesome homeschool mom to be friends with. Connect with other homeschoolers; they will encourage you that you are not alone. If you have no one local to connect with
an online support group.
Prepare for Critics
Everywhere you go you will find someone who does NOT agree with your decision. I was not prepared for this and announced at a holiday dinner we would be homeschooling. You should have heard the silence, then criticism. I don’t recommend breaking the news that way…. Solution? Remind yourself WHY you homeschool. Be prepared for questions, have witty statements, and remember that it is really no one else’s business. These are YOUR children.
You will 2nd guess yourself
The critics will make you second guess yourself. The difficulty will make you second guess yourself. YOU will make you second guess yourself. But really, that fear is one of the biggest enemies to homeschooling. Don’t let it rule your life. Solution? Go back to your homeschool mission statement and remind yourself that you are doing what is best for YOUR family.
It is hard
Ok, I know I already mentioned that once. But, it deserves repeating.
It is worth it!
Every good, bad and ugly homeschool day is worth it. Believe me! The critics, the fear, the second guessing yourself, it is all worth it. When? When you hear your daughter sounding out words for the first time. When? When you see your son finally grasp something you have been working on for weeks (or months!). When? Every single day when you see and hear your children playing together, or when a discussion happens that you know wouldn’t have happened if they were in school. There are so many things that make homeschooling worth it!
So, if you plan on homeschooling for the first time this fall, I hope you remember these 5 things that new homeschoolers need to know. Don’t let the difficult days rule your life, prepare yourself for criticism, when you 2nd guess your decision remember WHY you are homeschooling, and when you are ready to throw in the towel…. Remember that it is ALL worth it!
Author Bio: Misty Bailey is the blogger behind Joy in the Journey and the podcaster behind Joyfully Homeschooling. Her goal in this online space is to encourage and inspire you on your homeschool journey by providing practical tips for real life homeschooling. Through real stories, real struggles, and real life, Misty encourages her blog readers and podcast listeners to embrace imperfection and strive for a more joyful homeschool.
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