Second Chance Homeschooling
Taking Mr. Senior 2013 back out of Kindergarten after putting him in for Kindergarten at the beginning of the year, I knew I had a second chance for homeschooling.
If you are struggling with gearing back up for the school year, I want to share a few pointers that helped me to plod along.
I believe in second chances and do-overs in homeschooling.
There are so many things in life that we can’t do over, but homeschooling is not one of them.
If you didn’t get covered what you wanted to last year, make it a priority this year. Priority means first. You get a second chance.
New Beginnings
If you are sheepishly returning to homeschool because putting your children back in public or private school didn’t work, don’t pick up where you left off.
Determine first if it was the homeschool or because life happened that made you return to public school.
If you just pick up where you left off without examining what was the stress inducer, you could be setting yourself up for another disappointment.
Hear my heart on this next point.
3 Important Truths To Remember When Beginning AGAIN
We read so much about leaving guilt at the door, but not enough about analyzing it. If we had no feelings of guilt, what kind of mom would we be? Would we even be viewed as human?
Having feelings of guilt means that we are aware of our weaknesses and we realize there is a standard.
I feel this way when I can’t live up to God’s standards. It keeps me aware of my weaknesses and that there is a standard I desire to live by. I strive to do better next time.
Balance is required though because we can’t get that confused with trying to be a perfectionist homeschooler.
Are our feelings of guilt because we couldn’t marry our expectations of unrealistic homeschooling with what we could actually do? Then that thinking needs to be left behind.
Analyzing but not constant agonizing over past mistakes keeps us balanced.
If we always tend to contemplate on how we are not doing enough in our day it can erode our homeschooling.
Erosion is a slow process and then we may sabotage our own homeschool because we give up.
Remember, these 3 key ways to get on a different path when you are beginning again.
1. analyze guilt but don’t agonize over it;
2. don’t be confused between guilt feelings of trying to school by a higher standard and having perfectionist standards that nobody can meet. Good can come out of trying harder next time; and
3. avoid erosion which is constant wearing down.
If it is our thinking we need to change, if we need to join a support group, if we need to leave a support group or if we need minimal contact with naysayers, then take positive actions to do it now to keep your joy in homeschooling.
Each year negative things can take stabs at our every day joy. It’s hard for even the strongest homeschooler to not get wore down. So remove things that can make your homeschool backslide.
I do think that at the end of my homeschool journey that I might want a do over on something, but I won’t ever regret trying to make it right this year.
I was inspired by this quote today as I don’t want to let go of what I have learned from the past years.
“The knowledge of the past stays with us. To let go is to release the images and emotions, the grudges and fears, the clingings and disappointments of the past that bind our spirit.”
Hugs and love ya,
Also, check out these articles:
Are You Qualified to Teach Your Homeschooled Children?
3 Tips from the Pros Before You Become a Homeschool Educator
