I am NOT Patient Enough to Homeschool – Now What?

Ever heard the quote by an unknown source which states, “Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.” They must have been a homeschooler. I am not patient enough to homeschool is a common myth about homeschooling.

Whether you are patient enough o homeschool is a valid concern whether you’re new or if you have been homeschooling for a while.

Seasoned homeschoolers would probably agree with me when I say that not many of us feel like the shining role model of patience.

It’s not because we are not great moms, it’s just that we are humbled by this process of homeschooling.

As homeschoolers we get told a lot that “I could never have the patience to homeschool.”

I am NOT Patient Enough to Homeschool

When I first started homeschooling, I felt ill equipped to answer that valid concern.

I feel differently now that I have graduated two of my sons.

Look at some ways to help moms who have that concern. Maybe, you can grab a bit of encouragement for you too.

Patience in my homeschooling journey was learned right along side teaching my sons.

It has to be developed and nurtured. Patience is just as much a skill in teaching as any other skill.

It takes patience to restrain yourself or in delay giving your children the answers.

It is NOT a virtue that you should have instantly, but it is a virtue that you want in your homeschool journey. Why? Read on, I will explain in a minute of its ability to stick through tough times.

More than anything, patience has to be modeled by YOU, the teacher, the educator.

If you either have had a preschooler or teenager one day that is misbehaving or acting up (I promise you some days you can’t tell the difference between the two) they are watching your every movement, body language and tone of speech to see if they are worth of your patience.

It is then that patience is learned by the teacher. The quality of patience teaches our children that they are worthy of our patience because you are really being a servant of them by teaching them.

Patient Enough to Homeschool

Children, even teens, are extremely sensitive to harsh criticism.

Teens are dealing with hormones and physical changes and this can add to the chaos of the house hold.

If we are constantly short on patience, then how can our children respect us as teachers? It won’t happen.

It is important to be firm, not give in and correct their behavior when you see negative attitudes or rebellion from your children.

From the time our children are babies they mimic us and it really doesn’t stop when they are teenagers.

Patience (not skill) is the secret to sticking to homeschooling.

Many new homeschoolers are on the right track though when they think of patience as a must-have in homeschooling, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

You’ll love my book!

Patience is the key to sticking to homeschooling for the right reasons. What are the right reasons?

You are not overly upset when something is not working in your homeschool. Having patience, you can sort through curriculum or teaching tips that are not working for your family.

The most rewarding of things though is that you do not lose your joy so quickly in homeschooling either. Patiently, you don’t get upset at the slightest thing that is not working right in your homeschool.

Also, you avoid making rash decisions like switching curriculum quickly. Look at my article, Stop Switching Your Curriculum, Switch Your Course of Study.

Many times it is not the curriculum that is the problem, but it can be the attitude toward a change in your lifestyle, a change in the mood of your child and just the pressure of everyday life that tug at us.

Is Your Homeschool Missing this?

The beautiful beaming quality of patience knows how to sort through all those ups and downs and doesn’t give in so easy to pressures.

When we exhibit patience and kindness in our teaching, then our children will have something to learn and worthy of imitation.

Look at my tips, What Does It Mean To Be Family Focused Instead of Curriculum Driven When Homeschooling.

Patience is more than the willingness to wait, like the very wise saying above states, patience is proactive and it is the ability to keep going on when the going is tough or slow.

I am still working on those parts. How about you? Do you feel the same way?

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