4 Uncomfortable Feelings That Mean You Are Doing a Good Job as a Homeschool Mom

mom stands in front of a red background with a negative smirk on her face

4 Uncomfortable Feelings That Mean You Are Doing a Good Job as a Homeschool Mom

Homeschooling is full of challenges from choosing curriculum to managing multiple lesson plans for different ages. But one of the biggest obstacles for many homeschool moms is dealing with negative feelings about their choices.

There’s reason to take heart, though. Feeling self-doubt as a homeschooler can actually be a good sign. Here are four uncomfortable feelings that mean you are actually doing a fantastic job as a homeschool mom.

Feeling #1: Wondering if Public School is Better

Nearly every homeschooling mom goes through a period of wondering, “Should I just put them in public school? Could a professional teacher do this better than I can?” For some mothers, this feeling happens every year, particularly around back-to-school shopping season and again during the middle of winter.

Most homeschool moms attended public school themselves, so they may still associate going to public school with a “normal” childhood. But feeling uncertain about the ability to teach children at home is perfectly normal and even beneficial. This self-doubt pushes a mother to improve as an educator as she is willing to question the methods and materials she’s using for her children.

Rather than taking that self-doubt to mean public school is better, take a page out of the public education handbook and add more structured classes to your schedule. Try a co-op class, an online learning session, or a field trip for some variety. Create "teacher inservice" for yourself by attending a homeschool convention or by reading a great book.

Feeling #2: Curriculum Indecision

Some homeschool moms hop from one curriculum to another and another, even within the same school year. This musical chairs style of curriculum switching can make them feel that they’ll never find a curriculum approach that works for their children.

The truth is, though, being a curriculum junkie is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as the children are learning the objectives they need to cover for that year, switching programs can actually keep the homeschooling journey fun and interesting. Of course, once a program truly clicks with you and your child, it’s good to settle down for a while so your energies aren't divided by seeking new programs. You can instead spend that energy savoring the one you have.

Feeling #3: Scheduling Inconsistency

4 Uncomfortable Feelings That Mean You Are Doing a Good Job as a Homeschool MomNearly every homeschool mom started the school year with the perfect homeschool schedule only to abandon it after the first six weeks or so. Creating a daily homeschooling schedule is an easy thing to do on paper. Implementing it, however, brings quite a few challenges.

Life with children is never consistent, so expecting homeschooling lessons to be consistent is a bit unrealistic. If your schedule fluctuates regularly, that’s okay. Homeschooling moms should adjust their lesson plans to suit the needs of their children.

If a child is sick, school might have to be put on hold for a few days or weeks. If a doctor’s appointment is scheduled, you may have to have class in the afternoon instead of the morning. If a child isn’t grasping a topic, you might have to lengthen the number of weeks you scheduled for that concept. In these situations, being a little inconsistent may be what’s best for our children. Look at long term progress instead of day-to-day consistency.

Feeling #4: Worry That Your Kids Aren’t Learning Enough

No matter how rigorous the schedule or how advanced the curriculum may be, some homeschool moms worry their children are not learning enough. They may worry about covering enough electives in high school to enhance an academic transcript. Or they might be concerned about teaching a foreign language or a musical instrument, in addition to core scholastic subjects.

If you feel that your kids can learn more, that’s great! It means that you’ll continue to look for valuable skills and lessons to teach them. And they can learn more. But they don’t have to learn it all at once. Choose one or two additional topics to cover each year on the weekends or during free time in the afternoons. They’ll get the extra exposure without adding pressure to the daily routine.

Whether you’re dealing with one, two, or even all four of these uncomfortable feelings, don’t give up on your homeschool journey. As you continue, you’ll find ways to manage these and other feelings of self-doubt, adapt to your children’s needs, and make learning into a rich, lifelong experience for you and your children. The bottom line is that you have these feelings because you care and that is proof that you are doing a great job as a homeschool mom!

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