Beginning to homeschool is a little like starting college: you know that you want to do it, and you (possibly) have an end goal in mind. You’ve chosen your school, you’re registered for classes, and you’ve moved into the dorm. So far, so good. The basic requirements are all in place.
What you don’t know is what the daily routine will be like, if you’ll get along with your roommate, how hard your classes will be, how well your high school study habits will serve you, and if you’ll do well enough to cross that eventual finish line and get your degree.
Homeschooling can feel like jumping back to that place of uncertainty: you know you want to do this, you’ve chosen the materials you need to get started, you’ve created a learning space in your home, and you’re ready to go.
What you don’t know is what the daily routine will be like, if you’ll get along with your children (“They’ll be here all the time?”), how hard it will be to teach math, or how your habits of discipline (or lack of) will serve you. Will you do well enough to cross that eventual finish line and get your kids their diploma?
If you’re just beginning to homeschool, I want to assure you that your worries are normal. Just as we expect “freshman jitters” from young adults heading off to college, the anxiety of a first-year homeschooler is predictable. (We fellow homeschooling moms would worry about you if you did not feel anxiety.) To enter such new and unfamiliar territory inspires fear in the most fearless of moms.
Rest assured that most of us discover that daily routines of homeschooling are much like the daily routines of life: schedules are nice, but flexibility can be a lifesaver. Being with one’s children 24/7 is not only not hard, it becomes a source of great joy. Math may be tough, but co-ops and tutors can ease the pain. Habits, both good and bad, can be examined, and, if necessary, changed.
So, like the nervous freshman who matures into a confident senior, ready to don the cap and gown for graduation, the new homeschooling mom grows in confidence and wisdom with each year of experience. The only downside I can think of is that, like those college years, homeschooling will one day end. The upside to that? It means I’ve done my job.
Related articles:
Parents: Considering Homeschooling?
Considering a Trial Period