Continuing on with a week of encouragement from some of the commenters from the post where I was very honest and shared my confusion and heartache over our homeschooling not looking like I always imagined it would.
Today’s post comes from Mouseprints from Thick & Thin Things:
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Maybe it’s your dream that’s the problem. Dreams are good, but sometimes they can trip us up and keep us down. I know, because I’ve been there.
After my first year of homeschooling, like you, I was deeply discouraged that we weren’t fulfilling my dream of what homeschooling should look like – so discouraged that I put them back in public school.
I quickly realized that wasn’t going to work. So I sat down and had a long, hard look at the dream of homeschooling. I realized I needed to begin with the end in mind. In imagining my children grown, what was it I TRULY wanted them to be able to do, that I could give them REALISTICALLY.
1. I wanted them to be comfortable with math and math concepts.
2. I wanted them to be able to read and to (hopefully) enjoy reading (If they learn to read, then the world of knowledge opens up for them.)
3. I wanted them to have the skills necessary to find things out for themselves.
4. I wanted them to have the life skills (balance a check book, read a map, etc.) that they’d need to negotiate life.
Then I gave myself permission to let the rest go. Their life is not going to be ruined if I cannot/will not provide them with every possible learning experience. My job is to teach them how to learn; they have the rest of their life to experience many, many things, (including hands-on art.)
So right now we focus on living books, life skills, and math, and plenty of time for them to pursue their own interests.
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Thanks so much, Mouseprints, for the reminder that sometimes its our dreams that are broken, not our homeschool. I love the idea of looking at the end point and seeing what you need to do to get there. Thanks so much for sharing!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the simplicity of this! At the same time, they are really learning what they need to be successful in the world.
Cheryl´s last [type] ..Dancing Sun Cookies for Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
I’ve found that I have to keep it simple; complexity did me in my first year. That, plus the pressure of expectations, my own most of all.
And ultimately, it should be simple, I think. We want them to love learning, not hate it for its minutiae. There’s plenty of time for minutiae.
Mouseprints´s last [type] ..Fun Finds Around the Web
I’m pleased to report that having reached the end of our second year, we seem to have found a groove that’s working. Not that there aren’t days I’d like to sell them on Ebay or something! (My practical 6 year old said, “Mom, I don’t think you’ld get much for us. And we’d be awfully hard to ship.”)
I really liked the point made by the “veteran” homeschoolers that the important thing is that they’re HOME, in an environment that supports them in all ways, and learning.
We are at the end of our first year, I really needed to see this! Thanks for sharing.
Mrs. O – I feel your pain. I heard somewhere that the first year is the hardest, and I think that’s true. I’m glad it helped a little.
What a perfect list of “wants” for your kids.
I’m biased, of course, to the first one. But the others balance out the whole lot.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Awesome!
Thank you, B.C.! If I can get them to adulthood having met those goals, I will feel like I’ve done my job, as a mother and a teacher. (Not that mothering ever ends, but then I’ll have to set new goals in learning to let go. ;) )
I am so glad you took this week to share these gems of wisdom! I missed yesterday’s because it’s our “town” day, so I got caught up just now :)
I agree with 100% — my yearS were me trying to fit my family into this homeschool model that wasn’t right for us. I am SO SO SO glad you found something and a way that works for you!
Sally´s last [type] ..When Your Original Plan Doesnt Work